


Parenting 101

by orphan_account



Series: Growing Up Winchester [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: De-Aged Castiel (Supernatural), De-Aged Dean Winchester, De-Aged Lucifer (Supernatural), De-Aged Michael, De-Aged Raphael, Fluff, M/M, Pagan Gods, Parent Gabriel (Supernatural), Parent Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23815120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sam swore it was one pagan. The hunt was supposed to be simple. A pagan acting out.Sam was so wrong. One pagan turned into five.Now Sam is dealing with diapers, baby toys, and cribs. His day was just getting worse and worse.
Relationships: Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Series: Growing Up Winchester [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715863
Comments: 5
Kudos: 125





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, as you may have noticed, I've taken down all my stories. They will be back. I took them down for editing and for some to be rewritten. All of my WIP's have been taken down so I can complete them before posting. My one-shots will be the quickest to come back up. If you had a favorite, you can leave the title or description in the comments below or you can message me on Tumblr. It's the same username on both sites. 
> 
> I now present Parenting 101, revamped.

Sam stared in horror at what was happening in front of him. 

Dean, Cas, and he had been on a hunt. What they thought was one pagan turned into five. All five were women and were from different cultures. Sam identified two Japanese, one Hindu, one Irish, and one Native American. 

Dean and Cas were tied up in a circle made of fire. Somehow these goddesses had gotten their hands on holy oil. Sam was tied to a post with spelled handcuffs. Nothing he did could get him out of it. He couldn’t even get them over the top of the post like Tom Cruz in that one movie. The post was capped with a block of cement. Sam’s head just fits under it. 

“Dean!” Sam yelled. “Cas!” 

“Quiet Human. We are doing you a favor.” The Irish goddess spoke. She had flaming red hair tied back in a knot on her head. 

“Favor? What favor?” Sam tugged helplessly on the handcuffs. 

“Shhh!” the Native American goddess hushed. The five goddesses went back to arguing quietly. 

“Enough.” One of the Japanese goddesses spoke. “It is simple. Three and five months.” 

As one the goddesses turned and stared at Dean and Cas. 

The holy fire circle was barely enough for two people to stand inside. The flames roared too high for Dean to jump over. Dean was left standing so close to Cas that their bodies were pressed together from hip to nose. Dean had a fistful of Cas’ jacket to keep from toppling over into the fire. 

“Fine.” The Hindu goddess spoke up. “I still say five and two. But the rest of you want three and five months.” 

Sam didn’t know why they were arguing numbers. 

“Let’s begin.” The other Japanese one spoke up. 

The five women stood around the circle of holy fire and began chanting. Each spoke their own language. 

“No! Dean!” Sam renewed his struggles with the handcuffs. He tried everything, dislocating his thumb to get out, squeezing his hands through, everything he could think of. Nothing worked. Sam watched, helpless, as his brother and the angel were engulfed in bright colorful light. 

Sam sagged as the light died down to reveal a pile of clothes. Dean and Cas were nowhere to be found. “What did you do?!” he roared. “Where are they?! If they are dead I swear I will-” 

A loud baby wail stopped Sam from making any threats. The cry sounded panicked and desperate. Sam watched as Cas’ pile moved. A small head topped with messy dark curls popped out of the mess of trench coat and suit. 

“Sam?” Cas’ voice was adorable. It was high for Cas and slightly slurred like he had a lisp. 

“Cas?” Sam’s jaw dropped. 

Cas climbed fully from the pile. He was stark naked. He looked like he only came up to Sam’s knee. 

The baby kept crying in the background. 

“It is finished.” The Japanese goddess who seemed to be in charge spoke. One by one the goddesses teleported out. The handcuffs unclicked when the last one left. The fire died down.

“Sam?” Cas’ lower lip trembled. He began speaking in Enochian. 

“Cas? I can’t speak Enochian. Can you try English?” Sam knelt by the pile of Dean’s clothes. The baby’s cries seemed like it came from there. Sam sorted through the flannel and jeans to find a small infant bawling. 

The baby had green eyes and soft blond hair. Tears ran down his face and his eyes were red-rimmed. 

Sam nearly jumped as small fingers grabbed his side. 

“Sam?” that seemed to be all Cas could say in English. 

Sam swaddled Dean as best as he could in the flannel shirt. Baby Dean made coos and grabbed at something Sam couldn’t see. 

“Castiel?” Sam held out Dean’s undershirt. “Can you put this on?” 

Cas nodded and grabbed the shirt. His blue eyes watered as he slipped it over his head. It draped like a dress on him. 

Cas began speaking Enochian again. “ **Gabriel I oaia. Gabriel ol qus.** ” (Where is Gabriel? I want Gabriel)

  
  


Sam could only understand one word. “Gabriel? You want Gabriel?” Sam looked down at the baby angel. He scooped up Dean from the floor. 

Cas’ dark curls bobbed as he nodded his head. 

“Let’s get home first before we see Gabriel.” Sam thought of the archangel that stood up to Lucifer and was never seen again. Sam didn’t know if he was dead or alive. Dean wouldn’t let him go back to check. 

“Home?” Cas spoke in English. 

“Yes, Cas. Home.” Sam held out his hand. Cas lifted his arms like he expected to be carried. 

It took some finesse but Sam had Cas held on his hip and Dean tucked in his arm. Sam froze as he realized something. How was he gonna drive the impala with a baby that looked less than seven months old and a four-year-old with no booster seats? 

To make matters worse, Cas started squirming when he saw the car and started screaming for something in Enochian.

“Whoa, Cas? What?” Sam nearly dropped Dean. He dipped and set Cas on his feet. The baby angel scampered back into the warehouse, heedless of the glass and rocks scattered around the floor. Sam followed Cas to see him run right for his trench coat. He grabbed it in one tiny fist and began pulling. 

“Sam?” Cas said a word that Sam was pretty sure was help in Enochian. 

Sam draped the trench coat over his shoulder and scooped up the angel. “Ready to go now Cas?”

The small boy nodded his head into Sam’s shoulder. Sam headed back for the impala. Dean’s keys and wallet were in his pockets. 

Sam set down Cas and opened the impala doors. He was pretty sure Cas had to be in the back. “Get in Cas.” 

Cas crawled into the back without a word. Sam looked down at Dean. “What am I gonna do with you?” Sam sighed. 

In the end, Sam drove with Dean tucked on his lap as he headed for the nearest Walmart. It was probably highly illegal but then again so was pretending to be the FBI. 

Sam was lucky the town the goddesses decided on doing this in was a fairly big one. No witnesses they talked to should be at this store. 

Sam pulled into the parking lot. “Okay, Cas. We need to get some supplies. I need you to be good. I will get you a treat if you are.” 

Cas nodded. “Sam?” Cas spoke the word help again. 

Sam unlocked the back door and picked up Cas. He hoped that the false story of airsickness plus lost suitcases would work. Cas couldn’t wear Dean’s undershirt forever. 

Sam put Cas in the basket and strapped Dean in the child's seat of the shopping cart. He went straight for the baby section. He needed car seats, bottles, formula, clothes, diapers, maybe a stroller, and a few other things. 

Sam felt lost. Dean was crying in the seat, Cas was whimpering in the cart and whispering in Enochian, and the stupid baby bottles had so many different kinds that he felt ready to scream. 

“Need help?” A blonde woman pushing a cart with a toddler buckled in the seat looked at him with pity. 

“Yeah. Thanks.” Sam breathed out. He had already told the story to the staff. Cas was allowed to wear a set of clothes. Sam had picked out dark pants and a white shirt. Cas seemed happy enough with it. 

“First off, how old is this little cutie.” The woman smiled down at Dean. 

Dean, being the flirt he is, smiled hugely at her. 

“Aw. You better watch out for that one. He’s gonna be a heartbreaker.” The woman grinned. 

Sam realized what the goddesses were arguing about. “Cas is three and Dean is five months.” Sam nodded to the dark-haired little boy. 

“Oh? Then you want this one.” The woman handed Sam a package of bottles and nipples. “Also you want Enfamil formula. I know everyone says Gerber is better but really, Enfamil is the best. And for diapers you want Luvs. Huggies make most kids rash out and Pampers sort of do the same.” 

The woman led Sam off to the formula section while talking. She handed Sam a box of powdered formula. “How do you make it?” Sam read the back of the box. 

The woman smiled sympathetically. “It’s one scoop for every two ounces of water. Make sure the water is warm, not hot. You don’t want to burn this little cutie’s mouth.” 

“Thanks so much.” Sam handed the box to Cas. Cas frowned at it before setting it down. 

“You got it. Have a good day.” The woman went around the shelves and vanished. 

“Sam!” Cas reached for a display. He uttered the word Sam now knew to be ‘coat’. The smallest tan trench coat sat on a hanger in the store. It was the only one left. 

“I don’t know Cas. It might not be your size.” Sam took it off the rack. It was clearly marked in Cas’ size. Maybe a size too big. “Try it on.” Sam took it off the hanger and handed it to Cas. 

Small fingers eagerly snatched it and fumbled to put it on. Sam chuckled and helped Cas stick his arms into the sleeves. “There you go? What do you think?” 

Cas squinted at the fabric with his huge blue eyes. Little hands ran down the coat sides. Cas looked at Sam and gave a toothy grin. Cas spoke a new word in Enochian. Sam noted the tone seemed pleading. 

“Okay, Cas. We’ll get it.” Sam took off the tags and added them to the small pile from the previous clothes. 

Sam headed for the car seat section. Dean was still crying. Sam knew he must be starving. The last time they ate was lunch and that was almost ten hours ago. 

“Shhh, Dean. We’ll eat as soon as I am done.” Sam put his hand on Dean’s tiny one. 

Dean babbled at Sam. His face screwed up when all that came from his mouth was gibberish. 

“What do you think of this one?” Sam pointed to a car seat with orange flames and black fabric. 

Dean studied it. He must have spotted something better because he screeched and tried reaching for a seat with tan and hunter green. 

“You want that one?” Sam pulled it down. 

Dean squealed and tried reaching for it again. Sam studied it. It seemed sturdy and safe enough. Sam added it to the cart. 

“Your turn Cas. Do you see one you like?” Sam pushed the cart along the row of older kids' seats. 

Cas studied each one in turn before pointing to a solid gold one. He shouted loudly in Enochian. “Okay, Cas. Quiet voice please.” Sam winced. That was really vocal. Sam put the booster seat in the cart. “Okay. Almost done. Clothes for Dean and then we’re out of here.” 

Sam went along the rows of baby clothes. He picked out a few onesies with monkeys and giraffes on them. He found a couple of footie sleepers with elephants and came across a couple pairs of baby jeans. 

Sam laughed and added a onesie with AC/DC on it to the cart. He got a pair of dark jeans to match. Sam grabbed two packages of socks and sighed. “Done.” 

Cas caught his eye. He only had that one outfit. 

Sam went through the baby clothes again. He picked out a footie sleeper for Cas, a few t-shirts and jeans, and some short style pjs. 

“Let’s get out of here.” Sam pushed the cart, full of stuff to the front. 

They checked out the total coming to well over $150. Sam was grateful they recently got new credit cards. 

Sam fiddled with Dean’s car seat before managing to strap the baby in securely. Cas was slightly harder but he managed. 

Sam got behind the wheel with a sigh. That was a nightmare. 

“Sam? Food?” Cas sounded out the word carefully. 

Sam checked the time. It was almost ten in the evening. Sam decided to head for the bunker that night.

“Let’s get some food.” Sam pulled into a Mcdonalds. He ordered a cheeseburger happy meal for Cas and some water so he could make Dean’s bottle. 

Sam parked the impala in the parking lot after going through the drive-through. He made Dean’s bottle and gave Cas his bag. 

Dean cried and tried to grab Cas’ food. 

“No! Dee, no!” Cas pulled his food to the other side of him. 

Sam unbuckled Dean and put the nipple in his mouth. “Come on Dean. Drink it.” 

Dean screwed his face up and wailed. 

“Well, you aren’t getting anything else,” Sam told him when Dean tried reaching for Cas’ burger again. “Look, as soon as you have teeth again I will give you a damn cheeseburger. Until then you are stuck with this.” Sam shoved the bottle nipple back in Dean’s mouth. 

Dean took a tentative suck. Soon he was slurping down the bottle. 

“There you go.” Sam sighed. It was going to be a long night. He wanted to make it to the bunker by morning at least. They were in a town in Colorado. Fort something or other. The town names all ran together at times. 

When Dean was done Sam put him back in the car seat. Cas was about done too so Sam threw the trash away and got back behind the wheel. 

“We’re going home.” Sam stretched his fingers and started driving towards the east. 

Forty minutes down the road Dean began fussing. Sam frowned and turned on the radio to classic rock. He thought Dean didn’t like the soft rock Sam was playing. Soothing strains of Metallica flowed from the speakers. 

Dean wailed and made a gurgling sound that had Sam panicking. It reminded him of when he coughed up blood in the Mystery Spot and endless Tuesdays. 

Sam wrenched the wheel as softly as he could to the side of the road. He frantically got out and pulled open the back door. Dean was crying and staring at Sam with an accusing look in his shiny green eyes. 

“Dean?” Sam held back a wince and gag at the smell coming from the baby. Dean had soiled his diaper and had puke all over his new clothes. Sam remembered that he didn’t burp Dean after eating. It had completely slipped his mind. Sam had never taken care of a baby before. 

Cas was crying softly and cringing away from Dean. He spoke a word in Enochian and curled away with his face pressed to the window. 

Sam unbuckled Dean and laid a towel on the impala seat. Sam stripped him of his clothes and changed Dean’s diaper. He was holding back gags the whole time. “Dude, I have smelled corpses that smell better than you.” 

Dean gave a toothy grin and a  _ “Serves you right” _ look. 

Sam put Dean into a blue sleeper with elephants on it. He tucked the baby back into the car seat and buckled him back in. “Cas? Do you want to put some pj’s on?” 

Cas shook his head. He clutched his old trench coat closer to him. He whispered a couple of words. Sam could only pick out the word Gabriel. 

Sam stared sadly at the little angel. “We’ll get him when we get home.” Sam prayed that the archangel was still alive. It would break his and Cas’ heart if he had to tell him that Gabriel was dead. 

Sam pulled back on the road once more, headed east, and to the bunker. Soft classic rock played on the speakers as first Dean then Cas slipped into sleep. 

Sam let the miles slip by under the impala’s wheels as the music played quietly. He hoped that by tomorrow, Dean and Cas would be back to normal. 


	2. Chapter 2

Sam pulled into the bunker’s garage at sunrise the next morning. Dean and Cas had slept through the night. 

“Sam?” Cas yawned. He spoke a garbled word. 

“I don’t understand Castiel.” Sam yawned and turned off the car. Sam froze with the keys in the ignition. He wouldn’t be able to sleep today. He should have stopped somewhere last night. Well, he had survived on less sleep than this. How hard can two kids be? One can’t even crawl. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam found out very quickly that he needed more supplies. Dean was rolling all over the bunker floors and had almost eaten something he shouldn’t twice. Cas was walking everywhere and getting into everything. Sam had been trying to research on how to change them back. 

Sam slammed his book shut when there was a loud wail. It was only ten in the morning and Sam was exhausted and had the beginnings of a migraine forming. 

“Cas? Get your coat. We are going out.” Sam bent over and picked up Dean. He cradled the infant as he made a list of things to buy. 

Playpen, crib, sheets for the crib, toys, movies, food, pillows. The list grew on and on. 

“Sam?” Cas stood before Sam dressed in his small trench coat. He still wore the dark jeans and white shirt from yesterday. They looked rumpled and dirty. “Go?” 

Sam stood up. “Let’s change your clothes, Cas,” Sam suggested. He was unprepared for the tantrum Cas let loose. 

“No!” Cas screamed as loud as he could. “No!” Cas clutched his arms around himself and ran down the hall. Cas shouted a word Sam knew very well. It was an Enochian insult. His time in the Cage had made him learn that. 

“Castiel!” Sam shouted scandalized. So some of their adult selves remained. That was good. 

Dean giggled as Sam ran down the hall after the little angel. Sam found him in Dean’s old room. Cas’ big trench coat hung off the side of Dean’s bed and little sock covered feet poked out from under the bed. 

Sam realized what this was about. Cas thought he was going to make him take off the trench coat. 

Sam set Dean on his bed after searching it for weapons. He found two knives and one gun stashed around the bed. Sam put two pillows on either side of Dean. 

Once Dean was settled, Sam knelt on the floor to peer at Cas. 

“Cas? I’m not going to make you lose your trench coat. I would never ask that of you. I just mean change your clothes under it. You can still wear the coat.” Sam spoke softly. 

Cas spoke in Enochian. He frowned and made an effort to speak English. “You no me wear coat?” 

“Yes, Cas. You can wear the trench coat whenever you want. It’s yours.” Sam reassured. 

Cas carefully crawled out from under the bed. He raised his arms for Sam to pick him up. They ended up in that weird position from last night. Dean tucked in his arms with Cas on Sam’s hip. 

“We need to go shopping.” Sam led the way to Cas’ room. He opened the door with his elbow, dipping Cas in his grip. 

He set Dean on Cas’ bed. He pulled the pillows around the baby. Sam dug through the bags he had brought inside earlier this morning. 

He mentally added a front pack to his list of things to get. 

Sam laid out two pairs of pants, one cotton and light blue, and one pair of medium wash jeans. “Which one Cas?” 

Cas chose jeans. Sam repeated the process with shirts and socks. Cas picked out jeans, a blue top with a dinosaur on it, and a pair of white socks. 

Sam helped him get dressed and then put the trench coat back on him. Cas sighed in relief and rubbed his hands along the sides of it. 

Sam looked down at Dean’s outfit critically. It was okay. Sam added a diaper bag to his list as well. 

“Come on.” Sam held Dean and offered his hand to Cas. Their pace was slow as Cas made his way to the bunker garage. 

Sam got them settled in their car seats and headed out again. This time to a city thirty minutes away from Lebanon. It was better for the residents of their town to not know about this. 

Sam maxed out two credit cards by the time he was done shopping. Sam had gone to three different stores before one worker directed him to a Babies R Us. 

Once there Sam felt overwhelmed. Both kids had gotten tired of shopping pretty quickly. When they saw the toys they lit up. 

“Sam?” Cas made that pleading word again and pointed to a stuffed puppy. It was tan with floppy ears and green eyes. 

Dean babbled and reached for a toy car. 

Sam went through the aisles. “One toy each,” Sam told them. 

Cas grabbed his puppy and Sam got the car for Dean. 

Sam managed to find the rest of the things on his list. 

The impala was fully loaded when Sam pulled back on the road. 

“Sam? Food.” Cas told him. 

Sam sighed. Right. Lunchtime again. Sam pulled into Wendy’s. He ordered one cheeseburger kids meal and one crispy chicken BLT for himself. 

Sam made Dean another bottle from a lukewarm water bottle and fed them both. Finally, they were on the road home. 

Sam pulled to a stop in the garage. He stared at the impala with dismay. How was he going to manage two kids and fully unload the car all by himself? Sam would never look at single parents the same way ever again. 

Sam pulled out the playpen and herded Cas inside with Dean in his arm. Sam set up the construction and put Cas and Dean in it together. He gave them the two toys they picked out. “I’ll be right back,” Sam promised. 

He tried to hurry as he brought in the crib, bags of things, and food. He came in a final time to see Cas and Dean sleeping in the playpen. Cas was curled around Dean. His tiny trench coat was off and stretched across the both of them. 

Sam pulled out his phone. He took a picture quietly and draped a blanket over the two of them. Sam sighed. Maybe now he could get some sleep. 

Sam stared at the two kids sleeping for a bit longer. He headed to the kitchen and popped two Tylenol. He drank a bottle of water and stared at the bags piled on the counter and floor. 

Sam groaned. He had to put everything away and assemble the crib before tonight. Sam set about putting the groceries away. He then moved on to unpacking the baby monitor set and setting one next to the crib and attaching the other to his belt. 

Sam moved the box containing the crib down the hall to the room next to his. Sam read the instructions carefully and set the wooden crib up piece by piece. Sam sheeted the mattress and stood back to admire his work. 

“Sam?” Cas called through the monitor. He sounded freaked out. “Sam!” 

Dean began crying as Cas woke him up. 

Sam hurried down the hall to the main room. 

“Sam?” Cas let loose a string of Enochian words. Tears streamed down his face. Sam caught the name Gabriel here and there. 

Sam picked up the sobbing toddler. “I gotcha Cas. I’ll find out what happened to Gabriel.” Sam promised. He swayed back and forth rubbing Cas’ back softly. 

Cas sniffled and rubbed his face into Sam’s shoulder. “Sam? Scared.” 

“I gotcha Cas. No one is gonna get you here. We’re safe, remember?” Sam held Cas closer to him. 

**“Gabriel ol qus.** ” Cas mumbled. He sniffed deeply and rubbed his eyes. (I want Gabriel)

“I know bud.” Sam murmured. He wanted the archangel too. At least for a little help. 

Dean let loose a loud burp and then giggled. 

“What do you say to us watching a movie?” Sam pulled back from holding Cas. 

Cas nodded. He squirmed so Sam put him down. Cas ran out of the room. 

Sam scooped up Dean. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. “Again?” He headed for the bag with the new changing pad he bought. 

He laid Dean out and was putting a fresh diaper on him when Cas came toddling back in the room with a DVD clutched tightly in his hand. 

“Sam?” He shoved the movie at the hunter. 

“Just a second Cas.” Sam pressed the tabs on the diaper and buttoned Dean’s onesie. “There.” Sam pulled up Dean’s baby jeans and turned to face Cas. “What movie did you pick?” 

Cas showed him the Finding Nemo case. 

“Good choice.” Sam took the movie and led the way to Dean’s Dean Cave. 

He put the disk in the player and sat back with Cas and Dean in the recliner. 

Cas at first wanted to be in his own chair. Sam was fine with that. He set Dean up on his lap. His back was pressed to Sam’s stomach. Sam had a book propped on his arm as he read on one of the goddesses who changed them. 

Soon, little fingers grabbed a hold of his pant leg. Sam looked down to see huge fearful blue eyes watching him. Sam closed the book and set it aside. “What’s wrong, Cas?” 

Cas looked over his shoulder at the movie. It was at the part where Nemo gets taken. “Scared.” He whispered. 

Sam held out his free arm. “Wanna sit up here with me and Dean?” 

Cas nodded and climbed up. Sam wrapped his arms around both boys as they got captured in the tale of a lost son and a father doing everything to find him. 

The movie ended and Cas was staring at the blank screen. Dean was sleeping. At some point in the movie, he had laid down in the crook of Sam’s elbow. 

“Sam?” Cas’ voice was just a bit too loud. 

“Shhh.” Sam shushed. “Can you whisper?” Sam demonstrated. 

Cas copied him. “Sam? Play me?” 

“Sure. Let me put Dean down for a nap. Do you want to color?” Sam thought of the color book and crayons Cas had him buy. 

Sam set down Cas and carefully carried Dean to the crib he had set up. Cas followed, his hands clenched tightly in Sam’s pant leg. 

Sam laid Dean in the crib with a soft blanket over him. It was kind of cold in here. 

Sam brought Cas out to the main room. He dug around for the horse color book and a pack of twenty crayons he had bought. 

He found them and set them in front of Cas. “I’m gonna be over here.” Sam pointed at the table. 

“Up.” Cas pointed at the chair next to Sam. 

Sam lifted the toddler and set him in the chair. Cas spread out the color book and chose a picture of a baby horse with its mom. He chose a brown crayon and set to coloring. 

Sam pulled the next book over to him. He started reading. 

Time passed swiftly. Every once in awhile Cas would change colors and hum softly as he scribbled in the book. Soon, Dean woke up. A loud wail came from the baby monitor. 

Cas shouted a word in Enochian and proudly showed Sam the picture. 

Sam was torn. Dean needed him but Cas wanted his attention too. Sam looked at the color page. Cas had colored the baby horse black. The big horse was colored brown. The mane on the big horse looked shaggy and the small black horse had scribbles fanning out from its back. 

“Good job Cas. I gotta get Dean. Do you want to come with me?” Sam stood up and helped Cas down when he nodded. 

Sam led the way to room 20. It was for all intents and purposes a nursery now. 

Sam creaked open the door to see Dean sniffling. When he caught sight of Sam he let out a loud scream. Dean’s green eyes glared angrily at him. He babbled at Sam and then rolled over so he was facing away from Sam. 

“Dean? What’s wrong?” Sam picked up the grumpy baby. 

Dean squirmed around. Sam tightened his hold so he wouldn’t drop his brother on the floor. 

“Dee food.” Cas tugged on Sam’s shirt. “Bad sleep too.” 

Sam noticed the way Dean’s expression seemed panicked as Dean watched Sam. “It was just a dream, Dean. I’m fine.” 

Sam led the way to the kitchen. “Do you want a snack Cas? I have grapes or carrots?” Sam wracked his brain on what foods to give a three-year-old. Could they have carrots? 

Cas was quiet when he followed Sam. 

Sam thought that was good. He didn’t know that Quiet + Kids = Bad Things. 

A loud crash happened in the main room. Sam nearly dropped Dean and the bottle he was warming up for him. 

“Cas?” Sam called carefully. He set the bottle on the counter and grabbed the nearest gun. Dean was in one arm while the gun was cocked in the other hand. The safety was on. All Sam had to do was flip the safety off and fire at the intruder. 

Another crash happened and then Cas started crying. Sam moved quicker for the main room. What he saw caused him to let out a groan. 

Cas had apparently decided that he wanted his picture he had colored. He had obviously gone to get it but couldn’t reach the table where it had been lying. So he had pushed over a small stool Sam kept nearby for putting things on when he read in the comfier chairs. The first crash had been Cas knocking the books and pen case off the stool. 

The second crash came from Cas trying to climb up to the table and the stool falling over taking Cas with it. 

Cas sat in a pile of crumpled papers sobbing. “Sam?” Cas cried. He spoke a flurry of Enochian. Sam caught the words please and Gabriel. 

Sam sighed. He would have to tell the little angel that his older brother was dead. Sam had found no trace of the archangel. 

Sam put the gun high on a shelf. “Cas, we need to have a talk. Come sit with Dean and me?” Sam picked up the angel when he nodded. Sam set all three of them in a comfy chair. “Cas? I think Gabriel is dead.” Sam tried to put it gently. 

“No.” Cas’ eyes filled with tears. “You lie!” 

Sam watched as the little angel’s heart broke. 

“No!  **Gabriel! Gabriel ol qus! Gabriel I oaia! Gabriel!** ” Cas screamed his little lungs out. Tears were streaming from Cas’ blue eyes. 

Sam had to let the angel go when he began punching Sam with his tiny fists. Sam was scared he would hurt Dean. 

Sam winced as a flurry of angry insults poured from Cas’ mouth. The instant Cas was free he took off running. 

Sam rocked a fussy Dean, who still hadn’t had his bottle, gently. Dean was glaring at him. 

“I know. That could have gone better. I’ll give him some space.” Sam stood up. He went back into the kitchen. 

Sam could have sworn Dean rolled his eyes. “What?” Sam frowned. He grabbed the bottle and stuck it in Dean’s mouth. 

Dean’s expression read  _ “you did that wrong”  _

Sam realized then he might have been a bit too blunt. “You’re right. I was wrong. I should have phrased it better.” 

_ You think _ Dean’s face clearly read.

“Don’t get snippy with me. I have the bottle privileges.” Sam teased. 

In response, Dean grabbed onto the bottle tighter and sucked quicker. 

“Come on, man. Don’t do that. You’ll get a stomach ache.” Sam groaned softly. He checked the time. It was only four in the afternoon. Sam had not slept since two days ago. He needed some sleep. Four hours should do it. By this point, Sam was lucky if he got two hours. 

Sam gently patted his brother’s back to get him to burp. A soft belch rang out from Dean. 

Sam headed for the playpen. He set Dean inside with a toy and his new baby blanket. 

Dean looked less than impressed. 

“I have to go get Cas.” Sam explained. He felt weird telling this to a baby but Dean was in there somewhere. “You can either sit here or be strapped to my chest with this.” Sam held up the front pack. 

Dean quickly grabbed the toy and began playing with it. 

“That’s what I thought.” Sam headed down the halls wondering where a sad and angry angel would go. 

Sam shivered as a breeze came down the hall. It was either a ghost or the roof hatch was opened. As that thought crossed his mind, Sam froze. The roof!

The handle for the door was lower than most. Easy reach for a tiny angel. 

Sam ran down the hall and up the three flights of steps. All thoughts went from his mind but getting to the angel as quickly as he could before he flung himself off the roof. 

Sam made it just in time. Cas was standing on the edge of the roof with his toes hanging off the edge. 

“Cas!” Sam called. “Don’t.” 

Cas turned to face Sam. He scowled and faced forward. 

“Castiel! You can’t fly! Don’t.” Sam raced forward.

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say.  **“Gabriel!”** Cas yelled. Cas took a flying jump off the roof of the bunker. Sam watched for the second time in two days at the horror unfolding. And yet again he was helpless to do anything. 

“CASTIEL!!!!!!!!!!” 


	3. Chapter 3

At first, it seemed that Cas could fly. His face looked strained as he did a slow climb upwards. Soon his face went slack and Cas dropped like a stone from the sky. 

“Gabriel, if you are out there. Get your ass here now. Cas needs you.” Sam prayed quickly. He hastily tacked on the street and town they were in. He knew it wasn’t the best. Gabriel probably got more prayers that were better voiced than his. 

Sam tossed his cell phone to the side and prepared to jump off the roof after the little angel. 

He was too slow. 

Sam screamed in horror at the sight of Cas being ten feet from the ground. “Cas!” 

“Gotcha!” A voice called out. 

Sam watched as Gabriel appeared out of thin air and caught the tiny seraph. Gabriel instinctively arranged Cas on his hip. “You coming down Moose? Please use the stairs. I don’t think I can catch your huge ass right now.” 

Sam hurried down the steps and through the bunker. Dean gave a startled yelp as Sam ran past him. Sam flung open the door to the bunker. 

“Gabriel? Cas?” Sam panted heavily. 

“Right here, Moose.” Gabriel came into view from around the corner. 

Sam paled. Gabriel looked awful. His hair was hanging free around his head instead of slicked back. His clothes looked to be in tatters. A hole was in the center of his shirt. His eyes looked duller than normal. None of that spark of “something more” was there. 

“You look like crap.” Was the first words from Sam’s mouth. 

“Gee thanks.” Gabriel snarked. “You don’t look like a princess either hotshot.” 

Sam stepped aside and let the archangel in. 

“Where’s Deano?” Gabriel shifted Cas in his arms. 

As soon as Dean heard the sound of Gabriel’s voice he let out a furious wail. 

“Ah.” Gabriel looked around the bunker as Sam raced over to get Dean. 

Sam picked up the infant. Dean locked eyes with Gabriel and let loose a flurry of baby noises. 

“Check out you, Dean. You look so cute.” Gabriel teased. 

Dean froze. His lips lifted in a snarl that looked so out of place on a baby. 

Sam sank into a chair. He absently rocked Dean. “What happened?” Sam blurted. “I mean, the last we saw you, you were going to stand up to Lucifer.” 

Gabriel winced and rubbed his chest. “You first Bucko. Why is it I have been hearing my little bro call out for me and why is he and Deano pint-sized?” 

“It was a hunt,” Sam told the story. “We thought it was one pagan goddess, it turned out it was five. They trapped Dean and Cas in a circle of holy fire and got me with spelled handcuffs. I couldn’t do anything.” 

Dean put a tiny hand on Sam’s arm. Dean had squirmed so Gabriel was in his sight at all times. 

Sam hugged Dean closer. “And then I have been up for over twenty-four hours taking care of these two. I need a friggin nap and a good meal.” 

Gabriel was silent for a minute. “Give me Dean. I’ll look after the kiddos while you go take a nap. I don’t want to see you for three hours. We can watch a movie.” 

Dean gave a disgruntled grunt at being handed to the archangel. He screwed up his face and screamed as Sam walked away. His green eyes filled with tears and betrayal. His tiny hands opened and closed as he leaned after Sam. 

“Hush Deano. Sammy needs sleep, right? You don’t want him to pass out from exhaustion. What movie should we watch?” Gabriel’s voice followed Sam as he went down the hall. 

Sam was thankful that the archangel showed up when he did. Sam didn't want to think about what would happen if he hadn’t. 

Sam sank into his bed gratefully. He saw single parents in a whole new light now. One kid was enough but having two? Both under the age of four? Sam hoped the other angel would stay to help him out. 

Sam fell asleep within minutes of laying down. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam woke up to loud squeals and laughing. Sam gave a small smile and left the room. He headed towards the noise. 

“Gabriel!” Cas shouted a few words in Enochian. 

Sam heard Gabriel respond back in the same language. His voice sounded deeper and more melodic than Cas’. 

Sam entered the room to see Dean in the playpen watching Gabriel closely as the archangel tossed Cas up in the air and caught him in the same move. 

Cas squealed as Gabriel threw him extra high. 

“Sounds like you guys are having fun.” Sam gave a soft grin. 

Dean let out a coo like noise and reached for Sam. Sam scooped him up from the playpen. 

“Did they get dinner yet?” Sam asked Gabriel. 

Gabriel whirled around with Cas in his arms. “Geeze Moose. Give me a heart attack why doncha?” 

Sam rolled his eyes. Unknown to him was that Dean did the same thing. “Did you at least feed Dean? He needs to eat every four to five hours.” 

“I know how to take care of a baby Sasquatch. I took care of most of my siblings when they were young. Plus I have been on earth for thousands of years. I know how to care for both human and angel kiddos.” Gabriel rambled as he led the way to the kitchen. “What do you have to eat?” 

Gabriel stuck his head in the fridge and looked at the groceries Sam got. He pulled out meat, lettuce, and tomatoes. “What do you guys say to some tacos?” 

“Tacos?” Cas repeated in English. Cas asked a question in Enochian. 

“Cassie, we talked about this. It’s rude to speak in a language not everyone understands.” Gabriel warned his brother. 

“What that?” Cas spoke in broken English. 

“You’ll see.” Gabriel gave him a ruffle of his hair. “Why don’t you show Sam your picture and tell him about it?” 

Sam held Dean in one arm as Cas took hold of his hand and started pulling him down the hall. 

“Sam. Come.” Cas led the way to the library. He pulled a picture from a book. “Look.” He held it up proudly. 

This one was a picture drawn on a blank sheet of printer paper that Sam kept in a drawer. It seemed to be a crude drawing of a stick figure holding the hand of a smaller stick figure. An even smaller stick figure was hanging from the large stick figure’s arm. 

The large stick figure had a green and blue striped shirt and blue pants. Its hair was long and reached the stick figure’s hips. 

The smaller stick figure had a tan shirt with strange blue marks in the middle. The smaller one had curly dark hair and blue eyes. 

The smallest stick figure had green eyes and yellow hair. It was completely covered in a blue circle. 

“What’s this Cas?” Sam took the picture when Cas held it out. 

“You.” Cas pointed to the large stick figure. “Me.” He moved his finger to the black-haired stick figure. “Dee.” He gestured to the smallest one. 

“Oh?” Sam was touched. “Is this for me to keep?” 

Cas nodded. “Uh-huh.” His blue eyes filled with tears. 

“Cas?” Sam frowned. 

“Sorry.” Cas cried. He flung himself at Sam. 

Sam caught the little angel and hoisted him into his arms. Dean let out an adorable grunt when his position was disturbed but he went back to drifting into sleep. 

“Cas? I forgive you. But you really scared me when you went off the roof.” Sam hugged the baby seraph close. “Don’t do it again, okay? That was very dangerous.” 

Cas nodded his head from where he buried it in Sam’s shoulder. “Sorry.” He murmured again. 

“Okay.” Sam rocked both boys back and forth. “Do you want to go help Gabriel cook?” 

Cas nodded more vigorously this time. 

Sam held the picture in one hand and set Cas down. “What do you say we hang this on the fridge?” 

Cas grinned and ran down the hall. “Gabriel!” He called. Cas opened his mouth but closed it a second later. He looked back at Sam as he entered the kitchen. He frowned and spoke in English. “Sam say hang up.” 

Gabriel looked down at Castiel. “Sam says what?” 

“I said we can hang it on the fridge.” Sam moved to the refrigerator. He pulled a magnet from a drawer. “Where do you want it Cas?” 

“Up please?” Cas raised his arms. 

Sam looked at Dean in his arms and then back at Cas. Gabriel whisked by and took Dean from Sam’s arms without a word. 

Dean let out a fuss. 

“Hush. If you want another special bottle you will let me hold you.” Gabriel whispered. 

Sam made a note to talk to the archangel later about the special bottle bit. Sam picked up Cas and held him high. “Where do you want your picture?” 

“No my. Yours.” Cas enunciated. Cas squinted at the fridge. He looked between it and Sam. Cas hung it at Sam’s eye level. He pulled back and beamed. “Good?” 

“Yeah. Cas. it’s perfect.” Sam rubbed the angels back before setting him down. 

“Dinner will be ready in five minutes.” Gabriel snapped and a high chair appeared in the kitchen. 

Was it just Sam or did the archangel look drained after doing that? 

Gabriel put Dean in the chair and buckled him in. Dean let out a small wail. One look from Gabriel had Dean quieting and playing contently with a bowl and spoon Gabriel set on the tray. 

Yeah. Sam needed to ask about the Special Bottle. 

“Sam!” Cas tugged on Sam’s shirt. 

“Yeah Cas?” Sam bent down when Cas made a gesture for whispering. 

“Dirty.” Cas held out his hands in concern. “What do?” 

Sam chuckled. “Gabriel we’re going to wash our hands.” Sam didn’t wait for a response. He headed down the hall with Cas’ hand in his. 

Sam opened the bathroom door. He picked up Cas and held him by the sink. “So first get them wet.” Sam turned on the water faucet to warm. He checked the temperature before letting Cas stick his hands under the flow. 

“Done.” Cas showed Sam his dripping hands. 

Sam grabbed the soap bottle. “Now we wash them with this.” Sam squirted a dollop in Cas’ hands. 

“How?” Cas squinted at the soap. 

Sam mimed rubbing his hands together. “Like this.” 

Cas copied him. “Done.” Cas held up his soapy fingers. 

“Now rinse it.” Sam brought Cas’ hands back under the spray. 

Cas laughed happily and splashed a bit. 

Sam set the angel down. He was cleaning the counter with a rag when Cas let out a gasp. 

“S-sam?” Cas stuttered. 

Sam looked over his shoulder. 

“Dirty.” He wailed. He held out his trench coat. 

Sam braced himself for the tantrum coming. “Cas, I have to wash it.” 

Cas lifted huge blue eyes to Sam. “Wash? Like hand?” 

“No. I have to put it in the machine.” Sam pointed to the washing machine and dryer in the corner of the bathroom. 

Cas’ lower lip trembled. “No coat?” 

“Not for a bit. If we wash it now you will have it back by bedtime.” Sam offered. 

Cas nodded and took off his coat. He stared sadly at it. He sniffed once and handed it to Sam. 

Sam took it and put it in the empty washer. He put in some laundry soap and turned the machine to the quick wash setting. 

“There.” Sam sniffed the air. “Smells like dinner is ready. Do you want to eat some tacos?” 

Cas was quiet. He nodded and threaded his fingers through Sam’s shirt ends. 

Sam stared at the sad little angel who couldn’t take his eyes off of the washer. Sam picked up the toddler. “Tell you what, we eat, and then we can read three books, and then the coat will be done.” 

Cas barely shook his head. He just buried his face in Sam’s neck.

Sam left the bathroom/laundry room and headed for the kitchen. Cas didn’t even make a sound. 

When Sam entered the room Gabriel froze. He lifted his eyebrows and nodded at Cas with worry on his face. 

Sam hoped Gabriel got his expression of  _ later.  _

The three of them sat down to eat the meal Gabriel had cooked. Dean bounced in his high chair and squealed happily as everyone ate. 

When it came time to feed Dean, the infant immediately reached for the archangel over Sam. Sam stared in shock. 

“What did you do?” Sam demanded. “Last I checked, you were at the top of Dean’s list of things he wanted to kill.” 

Gabriel shared a secret smile with Dean as he prepared a bottle. “That’s between me and Deano. Sorry, Sammich.” 

“Sam? Book?” Cas held out his arms to Sam. 

Sam eyed Dean who was happily sucking down a bottle. He hummed a bit. There was something going on…

“Sam?” Cas called again. 

Sam picked up the toddler and carried him down the hall. “Pj’s first, then we switch your laundry then we read,” Sam told him. 

Cas nodded like he understood. “Deal.” 

Sam helped Cas into a blue sleeper with puppies on it. He zipped it up and buttoned the top. He picked him up again and went into the bathroom to switch the coat to the dryer. 

Cas stood in the bathroom and watched. 

Sam set the timer for thirty minutes. 

“Book?” Cas offered. 

“Yeah Cas. We can read now.” Sam led the way to room 20. He opened the door and set Cas on the bed. “What book do you want?” 

“Cat.” Cas pointed to a kid’s book about cats. 

Sam sat back and began reading. Soon the book was finished. 

“Again?” Cas asked. His blue eyes looked at Sam pleadingly. 

Sam opened the book again and read the story over. When Sam was done Cas asked for the book on dogs next. Sam read that one. 

“Coat?” Cas looked excited and sleepy all at once. 

Sam checked his watch. “One more and then it will be done,” Sam promised. 

Cas sagged. “Again?” He pointed at the dog book. 

Sam read the story one more time. 

“Coat now?” Cas pleaded. 

Sam stood up. Cas threw himself at Sam to be carried. “You’re gonna have to walk on your own at some point.” Sam heaved a sigh as Cas just looked at him and put his head on Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam walked down the hall. By some miracle, it was done. Sam took it out and wrapped it around the sleepy seraph. “Ready for bed, Cas?” 

“Gabriel?” Cas’ blue eyes drooped. 

“Right here kiddo.” Gabriel stood in the room with a fussy Dean on his hip. 

“Trade ya?” Sam handed Cas to Gabriel while he took Dean. 

Dean cuddled into Sam. He babbled and closed his eyes. Sam held and swayed with Dean until he fell asleep. Sam laid him gently in the crib. Cas was almost asleep on the big bed. 

Gabriel was whispering to Cas in Enochian. Gabriel stroked Cas’ dark curls and he fell asleep. 

Both men stood up and left the room. Sam shut the door and left it open a crack. 

“You realize they need separate rooms right?” Gabriel whispered. 

“Not tonight,” Sam muttered. “I’m too tired.” 

“Go to bed Sam I got them,” Gabriel promised. 

Sam was too tired to see the circles under the archangel’s eyes or the way he leaned all his weight against the wall. 

Sam turned on the baby monitor just in case and headed for his room next door. “Goodnight Gabriel.” Sam tossed over his shoulder. 

“Good night Sam,” Gabriel called back. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sam woke in the middle of the night to the two kids crying. He waited for a moment to see if Gabriel was going to get them. When nothing happened he stood up and made his way to the kids’ room. 

Sam froze when he opened his door. Gabriel was sitting against the wall next to the kids’ room, sound asleep. His face looked extremely stressed out. 

“Gabriel?” Sam whispered. 

The archangel groaned something intelligible and fell over to lay on his side. 

Sam opened the door to see Dean crying in his crib while Cas was on the bed with the pillow over his ears. 

“Make stop.” Cas wailed. 

Sam picked up Dean and carried him out to the hall. Dean sniffled as Sam gently swayed with him. “What’s up Dean?” 

“Bad sleep again.” Cas’ voice startled Sam. He gave a yelp. He didn’t know the angel had followed him. “I bad sleep.” 

“You had a bad dream too?” Sam hushed Dean as he softly cried. 

Cas nodded. “Uh-huh.” 

Sam remembered when he was a kid, Dean made hot chocolate when he had nightmares. It stopped after he left for Stanford and never started up until they moved into the bunker. 

Sam headed for the kitchen. “Gabriel needs to sleep for some reason,” Sam told the kids as they carefully went past the archangel. 

“Grace low,” Cas told Sam as he put Dean in his high chair and helped Cas sit at the table. 

“Gabriel’s grace is low?” Sam was worried. What happened to the archangel that his grace was so low he needed sleep? Even when Cas was falling he didn’t need sleep. “Is he falling?” 

“No.” Cas shook his head. His messy dark curls smacked into his temples with the force of his head shake. “Hurt. Gone.” Cas tried to explain in English. 

Sam grew more concerned. “Gabriel is hurt? His grace is gone?” Sam put some hot water on to boil as they talked. 

Cas seemed to grow frustrated. “No. Take. Grace take. No say so.” 

“Gabriel’s grace was taken. He was tortured. It was taken without his consent.” Sam was now in the mother hen zone. 

Cas nodded. “Yes.” 

When the water was halfway to boiling, Sam pulled it off and poured two mugs full. Dean made a whimper. 

Sam found chocolate syrup in the fridge. He eyed it and a jug of milk. He looked back at Dean. He swore that the baby widened his green eyes and purposely let a few tears fall. 

Sam went about making a bottle of chocolate milk as the hot cocos cooled. He set the bottle on the tray in front of Dean. He poured the now cooled down hot cocoa in a travel coffee mug for Cas. It was the best he could do for a sippy cup. 

Sam sat at the table with the two kids. He sipped absently at his coco as he went over the new information in his head. 

Somehow, Gabriel had been tortured. He had escaped which meant, something powerful enough to capture an archangel would be looking for him. It might be even more powerful because it has archangel grace. Sam knew the bunker was warded but not well enough. He made a note to talk to Gabriel tomorrow about warding the bunker even better. And what exactly had gotten him?

“Done.” Cas smacked his lips as he slammed the travel mug on the table. 

Dean squealed and slammed his bottle on the tray. 

“Do you think you can go back to sleep?” Sam cleaned out the dishes used. 

Cas shook his head. “No Dee.” 

Sam thought hard to interpret Cas’ broken English. “Not with Dean?” Sam guessed. 

“Yes.” Cas nodded. 

Sam didn’t feel up to making up another room. While it would be weird if adult Cas slept in the same bed as Sam, kid Cas made it easy. 

“Okay. Wanna sleep with me?” Sam offered. 

Cas thought about it for a moment. “Dee okay?” 

“Yeah. Dean will be fine on his own.” Sam promised. 

Cas got down from the table. “Bed?” 

Sam headed for the bedroom. He had Dean in one arm and Cas in the other. He set Dean in his crib with the half-full bottle of chocolate milk. “Get some sleep man,” Sam whispered. 

Dean huffed but rolled over until he was on his stomach. It mirrored the position Dean slept in as an adult. 

Sam brought Cas into his room. He lightly stepped over the sleeping archangel. “Stay here Cas,” Sam spoke softly. His door was still open. 

“Where go?” Cas’ lower lip trembled. 

“I’m going to get Gabriel in a bed. If he sleeps like that all night he will be even more hurt come morning.” Sam left the door open as he went out into the hall. 

“Gabriel?” Sam shook the angel’s shoulder. 

“Go ‘way. Sleepin’.” He murmured. 

“Come on. Let’s get you in bed.” Sam tried to lift the other man. 

Gabriel’s eyes sleepily blinked open. “Sam?” 

“I could use a little help?” Sam huffed out. He was strong but not that strong. 

Gabriel clumsily climbed to his feet. “What are you doing?” he yawned. 

“Helping you not have a sore back tomorrow.” Sam snarked. He and Gabriel managed to get them into Dean’s old room. Sam helped the archangel onto the memory foam mattress. “Get some sleep. We have to talk in the morning.” 

A snore met Sam’s ears. “Great. A low on grace archangel and a baby Dean and Cas. Fantastic.” 

Sam headed back to his room. Cas had fallen asleep by the time he got there. The little angel had Sam’s sheets wrapped around him and he was lying in the center of the bed. 

Sam nudged him over until there was enough room for him to get in bed. Sam wedged himself on the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes again, hoping that no one would wake up again before the sun rose. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam woke in the morning to a small body on his chest. Sam blinked awake to see a head of dark curls under his nose. 

Cas’ face was plastered in his throat. The tiny angel had his arms tucked under his chest. His legs were laying half off of Sam. 

Cas whined when Sam moved. Sam was quite skilled in leaving a bed without waking his bed partner. Sam slid out from under the angel and replaced himself with his pillow. Cas huffed but didn’t wake up. 

Sam headed for the kitchen. He needed coffee. 

Someone was already awake. The scent of roasted coffee beans steamed down the hallway. Sam entered the room to see Gabriel making breakfast. Pancake batter was being stirred and a plate of bacon was waiting on the counter to be cooked. 

“Hey, Sam. Coffee is ready.” Gabriel wouldn’t meet Sam’s eyes. 

Sam grunted and made his coffee the way he liked. Sam took a few sips before looking at the archangel. “We need to talk.” 

Gabriel tensed then his shoulders dropped. “You are right.” 

Sam was shocked. “What did you say?” 

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I’m not repeating myself. I was resurrected and kidnapped by Loki. I’m not really the god. I saved him, yadda yadda yadda.” Gabriel focused on cooking the bacon. “He knew some Enochian traps. He kept me in his rooms like a pet. I never knew the god had a streak like that. I would have left him to rot where I found him had I known. He took my grace for fun. He stored it in this box.” 

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. “Then Cassie started calling for me. I knew something must have happened. He sounded different. I knew you muttonheads were at the center of it. I was lucky. Loki had to leave for an emergency. He was in the middle of taking my grace. He left the box unlatched a bit. I took a few vials. I couldn’t get all of them before you prayed. I showed up. Saved Castiel and boom. Here we are.” Gabriel gave a bitter smile. “I regret ever saving that pagan.” 

Sam took a few more gulps of coffee. “Anything we can do to ward against him?” 

“Yeah. I’ve set up a couple. He can’t find me.” Gabriel poured the pancake batter into the leftover bacon grease. “Ever have a fried pancake?” 

Sam wrinkled his nose. “You and Dean, I swear,” Sam muttered. 

The baby monitor began to make noise. 

“You got it or me?” Gabriel juggled between cooking bacon and pancakes. 

“I got it.” Sam set down the coffee cup. He went down the hall. Sam poked his head into the nursery. Dean was staring at Sam with huge green eyes. “Hey, Dean. How’d you sleep?” 

Dean rolled his eyes and held out his arms to be picked up. Sam scooped the infant out of the bed. “Gabriel’s making breakfast. Pancakes and bacon.” 

Dean made a disinterested humming noise. Sam pulled out a onesie with a monkey on it. He took off Dean’s sleeper and changed his diaper. He pulled the onesie on over Dean’s head and snapped it in place. He pulled on a pair of baby jeans. 

Sam carried Dean out of the room. He poked his head in his room to see Cas was still sleeping. Sam decided to let him sleep. Sam headed down the hall to the kitchen. 

“Bottle is on the counter,” Gabriel called as he breezed past. Berries and honey sat at the table. 

Sam picked up the bottle suspiciously. It looked normal. Sam stuck the end in Dean’s mouth. Dean let out a muffled happy sound and sucked down the formula eagerly. 

“Where’s Castiel?” Gabriel began setting dishes on the table. 

“Still sleeping. I didn’t want to wake him.” Sam put Dean in his high chair. He set the bottle on the tray. Dean immediately scooped it back up and put the nipple in his mouth. 

“Yeah. When he was a fledgling he got so grumpy when he got woken up.” Gabriel gave a small smile. “We’ll let him sleep for a bit. I’ll get him in a few minutes.” 

Gabriel put a huge stack of pancakes on the table with a platter of bacon. Cups of milk were set at two spots.    
  
Sam sat at the head with his coffee recently topped up and steaming. 

Gabriel sat at the other end of the table. Dean’s chair was pulled up to the side and Cas’ booster chair was on the other side. 

Sam snorted into his coffee. 

“Something funny Sam?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. 

“Nothing.” Sam waved off. 

Gabriel went silent and stared him down. Sam felt the words tumble free. 

“It’s just, look at us, we’re so… domestic.” Sam almost laughed. “I never thought I would be watching two kids with an archangel for help.” 

Gabriel hummed. “What were the goddesses who did this?” 

Sam frowned. “I didn’t get names but based on their cultures I have it narrowed down to Amaterasu, Tatsu Ta Hime, Aditi, Caireen, and Iyatiku.” Sam stumbled over the names. 

Gabriel wrinkled his brow. “And you said they were all working together? Nicely with no arguments?” 

“Well, they had a small one on what ages to make them. Aditi wanted to make them five and two but Amaterasu said three and five months.” Sam explained. “They all went along with it. Aditi gave in with little complaint.” 

“Odd.” Gabriel took a pancake from himself. He slathered it in butter and maple syrup. 

“Wait. Get Cas first.” Sam eyed the syrup and honey bottles. “Just bring him in his pj’s. I really don’t want to dress him twice.” 

“Sir yes, sir.” Gabriel snarked. He stood up and disappeared down the hall. 

Dean was still sucking his bottle like it was going out of style. 

“There better not be alcohol in that,” Sam warned the baby. “Or I will take it away.” 

Dean twisted his little body so he was facing away from Sam. Dean’s hands white-knuckled the bottle. 

“Fine. Not taking it.” Sam held up his hands. 

Dean gave Sam a look like  _ “damn straight” _ . 

Sam grabbed a pancake and put it on Cas’ plate. He put on some butter and then drizzled honey over the top of it. He started cutting it into bite-sized pieces. 

Cas and Gabriel entered the room. Sam did an internal aww. Cas was perched on Gabriel’s hip with his head on Gabriel’s shoulder. His blue eyes were squinted into a glare. 

“Cas? I put some honey on your pancake.” Sam showed the small angel his plate. 

Cas let go of Gabriel’s jacket and reached for the dish. Gabriel put him in his chair and sat back down at the table. 

Sam took a couple of pancakes for himself and grabbed the berries. He layered his pancakes with strawberries and raspberries. He drizzled the smallest amount of maple syrup over them. 

Sam risked a glance at Gabriel’s plate. His bacon grease fried pancakes had syrup, powdered sugar, and chocolate spread across them. Sam winced. He was not going to feel good later. 

Sam ate for a bit in silence. “What are we going to do today?” 

Gabriel looked up from his plate. “I can’t leave the bunker. The instant I step outside Loki will find me.” 

Sam gave a quick nod. “I might be able to help with that.” Sam thought of his little side project. 

“Oh? Do share human-that-seems-to-know-better-than-an-archangel?” Gabriel sounded upset. “I thought of everything I could think of. He will always find me.” 

“I have a little… side project that Dean doesn’t know about.” Sam paused. “Well, he knows now.” 

Dean turned to face Sam. The baby’s eyes were serious. 

“What is this little project?” Gabriel leaned back in his chair. 

“I make rare hex bags and provide some sigils for other hunters.” Sam drank his coffee. “I know of a hex bag/sigil combo that can hide anything from anyone. I have tried it out a few times. It can hide someone from a semi-strong demon and once even from a witch. I’m sure it can hide you from a pagan god. Even one jumped up on archangel juice.” 

Gabriel stared at him. “You always surprise me, Sam.” 

Dean shot Sam a look that said  _ they will talk later.  _ Sam was very familiar with that look. 

“We can test it later. Cas no!” Sam watched as Castiel got his hands on the honey bottle and poured so much over his pancake that it pooled on the table and onto his clothes and body. 

Gabriel shot Cas a look. “Divide and conquer?” 

Sam wrinkled his brow. “What?” 

“Someone has to watch Deano and Cas needs a bath. In fact, they both need baths. I was wondering which kiddo you wanted to bathe.” Gabriel stood up and cleared the dishes to the sink. He set them to soaking while Sam thought. 

“I’ll take Cas. No offense but I don’t think I can bathe a baby. I have never been around one in my life until now.” Sam lifted the sticky angel into his arms. 

“Dirty.” Cas gave a toothy grin. 

“Yes. You are very dirty. Bathtime.” Sam headed for the bathroom. He set down Cas and stripped him of his honey-covered sleeper. Sam turned to fill the tub. That was the opening Cas needed. 

“No bath!” Cas took off, streaking through the bunker. 

“What the? Cas?” Sam leaped to his feet and ran after the screaming kid. 

Sam’s long legs and running sessions in the morning paid off. Sam easily caught up with Cas and snatched the naked angel into his arms. 

“No! No bath!” Cas squirmed. 

“If you don’t have a bath I have to wash your coat again.” Sam wrestled with Cas. 

Cas froze. “No coat?” 

“Yep. And since there is already a load going it won’t get washed for hours.” Sam promised. 

Cas pushed against Sam. Sam let him to the floor cautiously. “Bath.” Cas ran back down the hall to the bathroom. 

Sam noticed the tub was still filling. Sam turned off the faucet. The water was deep enough to wash the toddler but not deep enough to drown him. 

Sam lowered the angel into the tub. Cas laughed and splashed him. “Bath.” 

Sam sighed. It looks like he will be cleaning another mess. 

Cas’ bath finished twenty minutes later. Sam lifted the angel from the water and dried him in a towel. He dressed the angel in jeans, a shirt with a truck on it, and his trench coat. 

“Done.” Sam breathed. Now to clean the bathroom. 

Sam left Cas in the playpen in the main room. Sam could hear Gabriel in the kitchen. Sam swung by the kitchen to let Gabriel know where Cas was. 

Sam went into the bathroom. He draped towels across the floor and mopped up the water Cas got everywhere. 

^*^*^*^*^

By lunchtime, Sam was worn out. After baths, the kids had played in the library as Sam explained the hex bag to Gabriel. After that, they watched Tangled. Gabriel made sandwiches for lunch. 

Now it was naptime. Cas was being stubborn. 

“No sleep.” He insisted. “Play.” 

“Castiel.” Gabriel picked up the tired angel and stared him down. “You will take a nap.” 

“No.” Cas’ lower lip jutted out. “No sleep.” 

Gabriel began humming a song. 

“No.” Cas yawned. “No sleep.” 

Gabriel began softly singing. 

Sam watched as Cas’ eyes drooped and he fell asleep against Gabriel. Gabriel laid Cas down in Sam’s bed. Dean was already asleep across the hall. 

“We need to make him his own room,” Gabriel stated as soon as Sam shut his door behind him. 

“I know.” Sam stretched. “What room?” 

Gabriel chose room 25 for himself. That left Cas to sleep in room 24. Sam and Gabriel set about airing out the rooms as much as they could and fixing the beds and dressers. 

Sam had to toddler-proof Cas’ room. It was vacuumed and the sink was disabled. The bed was made with fresh sheets and the dressers had all of Cas’ clothes moved into them. 

Sam was just putting the last of his tools away when the kids started stirring. Gabriel poked his head in the garage. “I’m gonna get them ready to play outside.” 

“Okay. I need to get a few things first.” Sam pulled the old quilt from the trunk of the impala. Dean and he used it for when they were out in the country at night star gazing. 

Sam shook it free of dust and dirt gathered from being in the impala. Sam folded it over his arm. He snagged a couple of beers from the cooler and headed for the bunker entrance. He hoped the hex bag would hold. They didn’t need any unwelcome afternoon visitors. 

Dean, Cas, and Gabriel were all waiting at the stairs. Dean was wearing a warm outfit with a baby hat pushed down over his soft blonde hair. 

“How did you…?” Sam gave up on the fact that baby Dean and Gabriel had something going on between them. 

Cas was dressed in warm pants and small boots with a long sleeve shirt and his trench coat over it. 

“All ready?” Sam opened the bunker door. He was fully unprepared for what would happen that afternoon and the following night.


	5. Chapter 5

“Cas!” Sam raced after the toddler and scooped him up. 

The rain was unexpected. Sam saw blue skies one moment, the next a thunderstorm rained down on them. 

Gabriel was carrying Dean and the blanket they had laid out on the grass. Sam had Cas tucked carefully in his arms as he ran for the bunker door. 

They had been playing for two hours before the storm came up. 

“Sam? Cold.” Cas was shivering. His trench coat was dripping onto the floor. 

Sam’s clothes were soaked and he saw that Gabriel and Dean were not much better. “We need to dry off.” 

Gabriel raised his hand to snap but Sam caught his fingers. “No. You won’t waste your grace on something as simple as this.” 

Gabriel waved his hand around. “But Sam, it’s so easy.” 

“I don’t care. You won’t be using your grace to do anything right now. Give it time to charge.” Sam ordered. 

Gabriel’s mouth fell open. “You really are taking this parental thing seriously aren’t you?” 

Sam froze. “Look, I just want to make sure you are alright.” 

“I’m fine Sam.” Gabriel snapped his fingers before Sam could react. All four of them were instantly dry. “I’m a grown archangel. I don’t need you to hold my hand.” 

Sam felt awful. Instead of helping, all he did was make Gabriel upset. “I’m sorry.” Sam began. “I didn’t-” 

Gabriel handed Dean to Sam. “I need a moment alone.” Gabriel headed further into the bunker. 

“Sam?” Cas called. His expression was worried. “Okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m fine Cas.” Sam listened to the rain outside. Thunder was faintly heard in the distance. “Do you want to watch a movie?” 

Cas nodded eagerly and ran for the room where Sam stored their new stuff. 

Dean stared at Sam. 

“What do you want to do Dean?” Sam lifted the baby so they were nose to nose. Dean sneezed right on Sam’s face. Sam pulled back with disgust. “I hope you aren’t getting sick. That won’t be fun.” 

Dean babbled innocently and turned to play with Sam’s hair. He got a good handful and yanked. 

Sam winced. “Yeah. Okay. I see your point. I need a haircut or at least a trim.” He untangled the baby’s fingers from his dark locks. 

Dean laughed at Sam’s expression. 

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” Sam grumbled. 

Cas came running back in the room with a DVD case in his fist. “Sam. Here.” 

Sam knelt down and took the movie. “The Grinch huh? Okay.” 

Christmas was three months away but if Cas wanted to watch it, who was he to complain. 

Sam led the way to the movie room. He put the disk in the drive and sat down in the recliner. Cas immediately climbed in his lap. Sam leaned the chair back as Cas curled into his chest. Dean was tucked into the crook of Sam’s arm. 

Halfway into the movie, Gabriel crept into the room. He quietly sat in the other recliner. Cas and Dean were almost asleep. 

“I’m sorry,” Sam spoke into the quiet. “I think having Cas and Dean like this is getting to me. I didn’t think before saying that to you. You are centuries older than me and know what you can and can’t handle. I have to respect that you will stop if you get too low on grace.” 

“Forgiven,” Gabriel muttered. “Why are we watching this?” 

“Cas picked it out,” Sam whispered. 

“Really? The newest version? I expected more class out of you.” Gabriel shook his head in mock pity. 

“Hey. Cas wanted it in the store.” Sam protested. “Besides, the Jim Carrey version is my Grinch movie.” 

Gabriel tilted his head side to side. “Eh. That one is decent. Personally, I like the oldest version. It’s more like the way Dr. Suess intended.” 

“Shhhh.” Cas shushed them. “Movie on.” 

“Sorry, Cas,” Sam spoke against the dark curls tucked under his chin. 

“Why do you get all the kiddos?” Gabriel whispered. “I’m feeling kinda left out.” 

“Someone had to go and pout.” Sam shot the archangel a teasing look. “You snooze you lose. Well, in this case, you pout you get left out.” 

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Very funny Moose.” 

“Thank you.” Sam grinned. 

Gabriel watched him with something on his face that Sam couldn’t identify. By the time he nearly had it it was gone. 

“Want some popcorn?” Gabriel offered. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam sighed. Dinner had been alright. Gabriel had yet again cooked. He made some kind of pasta dish that didn’t make a huge mess. Cas and Dean had gone down easily. Gabriel had headed to bed after doing the dishes. 

Sam was sitting at the table in the bunker doing more research. He needed his big brother back. 

The thunderstorm was still raging. Thunder echoed faintly and rain fell on the earth in torrents. 

Sam was concentrating on a passage for the third time when soft footsteps came from down the hall. 

“Sam?” Cas’ voice sounded wobbly. “Sam?” 

“Right here Cas.” Sam stood up and met the little angel at the doorway. 

Cas sobbed and flung himself at Sam’s knees. “Scared!” He wailed. “Mad.” 

Sam scooped up the baby. “Why are you mad?” Sam gently swayed back and forth while rubbing the toddlers back. 

“No me. Brothers.” Cas hid his face in Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam recalled the one time he saw Gabriel mildly angry and then remembered the explosiveness of Michael and Lucifer’s anger in the cage. He put together the pieces quickly. He would bet money that when an archangel was angry on earth, thunderstorms would very likely occur. 

Sam walked down the hall towards Gabriel’s room. “Do you want to see Gabriel?” 

Cas curled closer to Sam. “No. Gabriel sleep.” 

Sam detoured around Gabriel’s room. They ended up in the kitchen. “Do you want anything to drink?” 

Cas shook his head. Sam fixed himself a cup of tea and went back to the main room. He turned out a few lights so it was darker. He settled in a comfy chair with Cas on his lap. He kicked his feet up on the ottoman he bought when they found the bunker. 

Cas was draped across Sam’s chest. “Sam? Read me?” 

Sam pulled his book closer and began reading about Caireen, the Irish goddess who turned Cas and Dean into babies. 

Cas hummed and snuggled deeper into Sam. When Sam finished the chapter he was on, he felt Cas go limp on his chest. Sam began reading in his mind now. His eyes grew heavier and heavier. His mind burned for sleep and soon enough, Sam lost the fight. 

Sam fell asleep with Cas across his chest and a book opened in his hand. 

^*^*^*^*^

“Oh, that’s so cute.” Gabriel’s voice woke Sam up. “What do you say Deano? Picture or prank?” 

“You pull a prank and I will leave you with the kids for three days. By yourself.” Sam mumbled. Sam moved to rub his face but a weight holding his arm down made him pause. Sam looked down to see Cas sprawled sideways across his body. His legs hung off the left side of Sam’s chest while Cas’ head laid on Sam’s right shoulder. 

Cas whined as he woke up. He shot a squinty-eyed glare at Gabriel. He spoke a sentence in Enochian and curled back into Sam’s neck. 

Gabriel’s jaw dropped. “Castiel! Watch your mouth!” 

Sam felt Cas’ grin. Sam sat up.

“No Sam! Stay!” Cas cried out. 

Sam stood up. “Come on Cas. It’s time to wake up.” 

“Nooo!” Cas tried to push Sam back down. Sam barely moved. It was nice being stronger than the angel for once. 

Sam headed for his room. He dressed Cas and then walked him to Gabriel. Sam dressed after making sure Cas and Dean would be okay with the archangel. 

Sam entered the kitchen to see controlled chaos. Gabriel was frantically running around cooking something with eggs and flour. Cas sat on the counter ‘helping’ by stirring a substance in a bowl. Dean laughed from his high chair as Gabriel dashed around the room. 

“Sam! Out!” Cas yelled when he caught sight of Sam. 

Gabriel paused in cooking sausages. “Out Samaroon.” 

“What are you making?” Sam sniffed the air. The smells were too mixed to pick out much. 

“Surprise. Now out.” Gabriel pushed him out of the room. “I will call you when it’s ready. Go read a book.” 

Sam found himself outside the kitchen with a snapped up door slammed in his face. Sam frowned. He hoped they cleaned up the mess when they were done. 

Sam sat out in the main room for thirty minutes before Gabriel called him into the kitchen. “Moose! Breakfast is ready!” 

Sam entered the kitchen to see the room spotless. Breakfast sat on the table. Plates and silverware were arranged neatly on the table. Cups of an amber drink sat before each place setting. Three covered dishes sat in the middle of the table. 

Sam sat in his seat warily. “What have you three done?” 

“Made breakfast,” Gabriel replied with a duh tone in his voice. 

Gabriel whisked off the first cover to reveal a tower of eggs. He took off another. Sam could see a mountain of breakfast meats. The last was uncovered and Sam blinked in shock. 

“You made crepes?” Sam stared at the flat round circles of food. 

“Well, actually, they are Swedish pancakes. Two very different things, Sammy. You can fill them with whatever you want and roll them up. I usually make mine with jam and syrup and a bit of powdered sugar.” Gabriel talked while he demonstrated. 

Sam pulled the platter closer to him. He picked up two pancakes. “I can put whatever I want in them?” 

“Well, sweet stuff.” Gabriel passed Sam the bowl of berries. “Otherwise they would be crepes. And we are not having crepes this morning, right Cassie?” 

“Yes.” Cas had a plate already made. His pancakes were rolled with blueberries and honey. A sprinkle of white sugar was over the top. 

“Gabriel. He’s a kid. Should he be having that much sugar?” Sam frowned. 

Gabriel’s jaw dropped. “You realize that just made you the strict dad sounding parent.” 

Sam smirked. “Does that make you the fun mom parent?” 

Gabriel got an evil smile on his face. It quickly vanished. “But Sam, I thought you were gonna marry me. Think of the kids. They have no stable parents.” He wailed dramatically. 

Sam blushed bright red. “Shut up.” He mumbled. 

Gabriel cackled. “Serves you right Moose. Can’t mess with the best.” 

Cas laughed as he shoved a bite of pancake in his mouth with his sticky fingers. 

Sam sighed. He shook his head. “Crazy angels.” 

“Hey, that’s archangel bucko. I’m not your average garden variety angel.” Gabriel shoveled a bite of eggs in his mouth. 

Sam stared Gabriel down. “That means you are the stronger protector in this relationship and that makes you the Dad.” 

Gabriel glared at Sam. “Unlike you, I don’t have a gender. I could be either the mom or dad. I just chose to be a male.” 

Sam and Gabriel were locked in a staredown so they missed Dean and Cas’ calculated looks. 

Dean grinned and let out a huge squeal. He threw his bottle at Gabriel. It smacked him in the face and fell into his plate with a wet smack. 

Cas made his eyes huge and flung a blueberry at Sam. The projectile hit Sam’s nose and fell into his cup of coffee. 

“Sam?” Cas made the word for help. He smiled hugely at the irritated hunter. He held out his sticky arms. “Bath?” 

Cas winked at Dean over Sam’s shoulder and behind Gabriel’s back. Dean grinned back. Getting their brothers together was a go. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam swore Cas and Dean were up to something. They would be sitting quietly and Cas would have his hand on some part of Dean’s body. 

When it first happened, Dean had screamed at Cas. Now, three days later, he just sat quietly babbled back at the small angel. 

That wasn’t all. They would be watching a movie and Cas would want Gabriel to hold him, but halfway through the movie, he wanted Sam. After four movies of this, they just settled on the couch. Cas could crawl across them when he wanted the other. 

Dean would behave nicely. He would want Gabriel to hold him to sleep and only when Sam was nearby would he stop fussing. 

They were plotting Sam was sure of it. Gabriel had brushed him off. “They’re getting used to their new bodies, Sam. It’s gonna take a while to adjust.” He had said. 

Sam eyed Dean. He liked to think he knew his brother. He knew when Dean was playing innocent. He would get this look in his eyes. It was much more distracting on a baby though. 

Dean seemed to be embracing being a baby. He made messes and laughed about it. He would drink his bottle too quickly at times and then throw up later. Sam was ninety-nine percent sure that Gabriel was giving him adult drink bottles. 

Cas was the sliest out of the two of them. He would make a mess and demanded either Sam or Gabriel to bathe him. When it came time for him to sleep, he would run around the bunker until Sam or Gabriel caught him and made him sleep.

Normally they would just lay him down with a few stern words to sleep but lately, the smaller angel demanded Gabriel _ and _ Sam stay until he slept. He wanted both of them to hold him and sometimes would fall asleep across both of their arms so they couldn’t move. 

It was the fourth day of this when Sam brought it up with Gabriel again. Cas was sleeping between them. They had just put him down for a nap. Sam was trying to get his arm free without waking Cas. 

“I think they are trying to get us together,” Sam told the archangel. 

“Nah. They can’t be. They are just-” Gabriel brushed off. 

“Don’t say adjusting.” Sam snapped. “Think about it. I see only two options. One, they are losing their adult selves. Or two, they are scheming.” 

Gabriel’s mask fell into place. Sam could see through it a bit. He was hopeful and scared? 

“They are just getting used to their new selves.” Gabriel tugged his arm free with a quick practiced movement and hurried from the room. 

Sam saw Gabriel’s shoulders were hunched and he was trying to get away as quickly as he could. 

Sam tugged his sleeve free from Cas’ death grip on it. He hurried after Gabriel. He can’t have the archangel leave! He couldn’t take care of these kids by himself. He needed him. 

“Gabriel? Wait.” Sam ran down the hall and grabbed Gabriel’s hand. “Why are you scared? We don’t know what they are planning.” 

“I think we have a fairly good idea.” Gabriel wouldn’t meet his eyes. 

“Please don’t leave me.” Sam blurted. Ever since he had met the archangel all he seemed to do was run. He needed Gabriel to stay. For more than one reason, he was beginning to realize.

Gabriel’s eyes softened before going hard again. “Can’t leave right now, bucko. The second I am far away that ass clown will be all over me.” 

Gabriel pulled his hand from Sam’s and headed down the hall. “I need a moment. I’ll come back when it’s time to feed Deano.” 

That reminded Sam of something. “What are you putting in those bottles? It’s not alcohol right?” 

Gabriel scoffed. “Give me some credit Sam. I know not to give a baby, alcohol. Even baby Winchesters. You guys are hooked on that stuff as it is.” 

“What is it then?” Sam frowned. There went his idea. 

“I just made them a bit more appetizing. Do you even remember what that shit tastes like?” Gabriel nodded at Sam’s expression. “Yeah. It tastes like crap. I made them more flavored. Dean really seems to love the pie one. I do it for every kid or baby I take care of it’s not just Dean.”

Sam nodded faintly. Gabriel was still surprising him every day. 

“Now if you don’t mind. I would like some alone time before the kiddos wake up again.” Gabriel turned on his heel and left the hall.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam was stunned. Gabriel was actually pretty deep. There were layers to him that Sam was just finding out for himself. However, could Kali give that up? He loved kids, was kind, maybe a bit too snarky but centuries of putting himself out there to only get hurt will make some pretty fortified walls and masks. 

Sam was determined to be with Gabriel. Seeing him in action this past week, made Sam realize he liked him a whole lot. Maybe more than he thought possible. 

Sam settled in the library with the baby monitor on the table next to his book on Amaterasu. Sam shut the book ten minutes later. He had already read it three times through. No new information was going to magically come from the pages. Sam had read all the books they had on all five goddesses who did this to his brother and the angel. He had nothing. 

Sam leaned back in his chair and thought over his previous interactions with Gabriel. 

The meeting at the college was obviously a test. His screwing with the two brothers achieved two things. One, entertainment for the archangel and two, Sam would bet his laptop that he was trying to see if they were anything like his older brothers. 

Knowing what Sam knew now, with the Apocalypse firmly behind them, he could understand and see Gabriel’s side of things better. 

Broward County Florida was not in the least amount of fun. Sam saw that Gabriel, in his own way, was trying to stop the whole thing from happening. If only Sam would have stopped to think about it, but the rage and sense of being all alone in the world were clouding his thinking. Sam knew that he and Dean were ridiculously co-dependent, but Sam couldn’t live without his brother. Nothing was going to change that. 

TV Land was a whole other experience. Sam knew that the Trickster was something more. He had to be. Sam was clutching at fraying strings when he wanted Gabriel’s help. Sam knew Gabriel was upset. In the whole construction of his, Sam could feel the underlying sense of hopelessness and anger. 

Finding out he was an archangel (one of the ones he prayed to constantly as a kid, one of the ones he looked up to and wanted to be like) was a runaway, messed him up. 

He came through in the end. Nearly giving his life to save them, changed a lot of things. Dean still hated the guy at this point, but since he gave his “life” for them, he had backed off a bit. 

“That’s some deep thinking right there.” A voice made Sam jump. 

Sam looked up into the eyes of Chuck. “Chuck? How’d you get in here? Where the hell have you been?” 

“Sam.” Chuck sounded different. He sounded powerful. He sounded like…

Sam sat in stunned silence. “You’re God.” On some deep level, he knew that this scrawny alcoholic writer was God. How did he know that he had no clue? Sam clenched his jaw. “Does Gabriel…?” 

“No. For all intents and purposes, you are sleeping in your chair in the bunker.” Chuck stood up and paced the room. “I have a favor to ask of you.” 

Sam was angry. He hides on the front lines, doesn’t step in and help, and doesn’t care about them? 

“Whoa.” Chuck flicked a finger and all of Sam’s anger drained from him. “Listen, about all those things, you were fighting for Free Will. Kinda defeats the purpose of fighting for it and then having me come and back you up. As for the caring thing, I’m old and have seen everything. I care about all of you but you go so fast. It’s like I blink and you are gone.” Chuck sat in the chair next to Sam. 

“What happened to Dean and Castiel was… well… let’s call it an experiment.” Chuck shifted in his chair. 

Sam’s anger grew again. “Why?” He clenched his jaw. 

“It was only supposed to be Castiel but Aditi was convinced by Kali to change one of you too.” Chuck sighed. “It seems to have gone as expected.” 

“Change them back.” Sam snapped. 

“No.” Chuck met Sam’s eyes. They glowed with power. “I am giving my children a second chance.” 

“But Dean…?” Sam tried again. 

“I’m sorry. The spell is permanent.” Chuck looked away. “So, back to that favor. I have brought back my firstborns. They need a good home. I was wondering…” 

Sam let his mind wander. Sam was guessing that the other archangels had been changed into babies too, if what Chuck was implying true. Sam knew there was nothing he could do to change his brother back. Sam was tempted to say no and leave the dicks to fend for themselves, but a pair of saddened golden eyes flashed across his vision. 

Sam couldn’t do that to Gabriel. If the archangels truly were kids and they needed a good home, then Sam was going to invite them in. 

“Sam?” Chuck was looking at him expectantly. 

“I’ll do it on one condition. Make it so they don’t remember their adult lives.” Sam raised his eyes to meet Chuck’s. “I will raise them but I won’t do it if Lucifer or Michael remembers who they were.” 

Chuck looked thoughtful. “Agreed. I will have them brought to you shortly. Goodbye Sam.” 

Chuck snapped and Sam woke up. 

^*^*^*^*^*^

Dean’s soft babbling brought Gabriel back to see Sam. 

Sam didn’t know how to break the news to Gabriel that they were apparently adopting three more kids. 

Sam played with his fork, swirling it through the lasagna Gabriel made. He would absently take a bite before raking it through the food again. 

“Sam?” Gabriel lightly touched his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts. “What’s going on with you tonight? You are all spacy and look like your world is about to end. Not like that’s your first time.” Gabriel tried to make a joke. 

Sam set down his silverware. “We had a guest visit today,” Sam announced. “They were the ones behind the little mishap with Cas and Dean being like this.” Sam winced. “It was your dad.” 

There was a clatter and then silence. Sam looked up to see Gabriel upset and Cas looking at him with teary eyes. 

“What did he want? Are you sure it was him?” Gabriel rattled off. “Can he help with this?” 

“Gabriel.” Sam placed his hand over the trembling archangel. “I’m sorry he didn’t talk to you. I asked him and he didn’t answer me. The reason he dropped by was because He needed a favor from me. It seems he pulled the same little stunt on your older brothers. They are now kids.” Sam pulled Gabriel into his arms. “I’m so sorry.” He soothed. 

“Sam?” Cas’ lower lip trembled. “Dad?” 

Sam scooped up the toddler and held both angels in his arms. Sam’s shoulders began to feel wet. Dean was unusually silent. After a few minutes, Gabriel pulled back. 

“What was that about my brothers?” Gabriel hastily wiped his eyes with his sleeve. 

“They are like Dean and Cas and he wanted to know if we would look after them. I agreed.” Sam spoke calmly. 

Dean let out a screech and shot Sam the angriest and dirtiest look that he could muster. 

“Dean!” Sam snapped. “They needed somewhere to go and I thought that since we know all about the supernatural and angels we were the best to take them in. I wasn’t going to let them be with someone who will treat them badly.” 

Dean sniffed and turned his little body away from Sam. Dean was angry. Sam knew it. He would talk to him later. 

Gabriel’s eyes shone with happiness and tears. “Why would you do that? You must hate them. Why would you raise them?” 

Sam stared at the archangel. “They are your brothers. Even though they are major dicks I am hoping we can change that. He promised he would hide the memories of their adult lives. A fresh start. A second chance. And Dean, I’m sorry. He said this was permanent. You are going to have to grow up all over again.” 

Dean’s shoulders stiffened. 

“When are they coming? We need to buy a whole lot more stuff and we need to baby proof the bunker and clean out some rooms.” Gabriel listed off. Gabriel stood up and headed for the hall still talking. 

“Sam?” Cas stared at the hunter with big eyes. “Thank you. Gabriel happy.” 

“Cas? Can you go help Gabriel, please? I need to talk to Dean.” Sam helped Castiel down from his chair. Before the tiny angel left he brushed his fingers across Dean’s foot. He stayed there for a few seconds before leaving the room. 

Dean let out a gusty sigh. His body was still faced away from Sam. 

“Dean,” Sam spoke softly. “I did it for him. Did you see how happy he was? Please don’t make him upset by putting up a fight about this.” 

Dean’s shoulders slumped. He turned to face Sam. Huge tears were rolling down his cheeks. Sam scooped up the baby. “I’m so sorry you are going through this Dean.” Sam rocked his older brother. “Think of it this way, it’s payback for all the shit I put you through when I was this age.” 

Dean sobbed and rubbed his small head in Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam and Dean stood there for a while. Sam was holding his brother and wondering how he was going to manage three more kids along with Dean and Cas. How old were they going to be? How much trouble were Lucifer and Michael going to be? How on Earth was he going to raise five kids all by himself?

  
  


^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Sam woke up to a loud knocking on his door. 

“Sam! Wake up!” Gabriel pounded on the wood again. “Breakfast is ready.” 

Sam groaned. He was up late last night, helping Gabriel kid-proof the rooms next to them and figuring out what rooms to give to what kids. 

The bunker layout was like this: there was a hall with doors all along it. Evens were on the left and odds were on the right. Sam was in room 23. Gabriel was right next to him in room 25. Dean was across from Sam in room 22. Cas was next to Dean in room 24. Sam kid proofed room 20 for Michael. Gabriel kid proofed room 21 for Raphael. 

A short argument had happened when it came time to decide on Lucifer. Gabriel wanted him to share with Michael. Sam disagreed. He needed his own room. Sam won that one. 

Next came decided what room to give him. Gabriel wanted room 18. Sam wanted room 27. They were still undecided. 

Sam had gone to bed at about midnight. 

“Sam! Breakfast!” Gabriel called. 

“I’m up! I’ll be there in a second.” Sam yelled back. 

Sam stumbled his way down the hall. He was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. Sam slumped into his chair at the table. A cup of coffee was set in front of him. A hand squeezed his shoulder in thanks. 

“Sam?” Cas called. 

Sam scooped up the baby and set him on his lap. “We need to make a list,” Sam spoke after he drank half a cup of coffee. 

“Some of those things need to be decided when we know how old they are,” Gabriel responded as he stirred the pot on the stove. 

Sam sniffed the air. “Are you making oatmeal?” 

“Duh.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Cassie and I don’t mind eating healthy every once in a while.” 

Cas wiggled around until Sam set him back on the floor. Cas ran out of the room. Sam stood to follow. 

“I can hear him. He’s in his room.” Gabriel gently pushed Sam back into his chair. “Here. If it makes your organized noggin happy.” Gabriel snapped and a paper and pen appeared in front of Sam. 

“We’ll need clothes.” Sam began listing things off onto the paper. 

Sam paused halfway through the list. “We’re gonna have to tear out the beds and sinks in those rooms. If this is as permanent as your dad says it is then we need to really baby proof the bunker.” 

Gabriel thought for a moment. “My grace is getting better by the day. I can snap up a few things and snap away others.” 

Dean let out a small grumble. Gabriel scooped him up and gave him a bottle. “There you go, Dean.” 

“Okay.” Sam divided the paper in half and began two lists. One for the bigger items they needed, Gabriel could snap those, and the other for the smaller things they could buy. 

Cas came running back in the room when Sam finished. “Sam!” Cas shoved his stuffed puppy at Sam. “Up!” 

Sam lifted Cas into his lap. The puppy was resting next to Sam’s knee. “Is it just me or is Cas acting more kid-like?” 

Gabriel studied Cas. “I think Cas has embraced being a kid and has locked away his memories of being an adult. They’ll come back eventually.” Gabriel turned back to his pot of oatmeal. 

Soon, Gabriel set it on the table along with a bowl of brown sugar, a bottle of maple syrup, a small dish of raisins, a jar of peanut butter, granola, and a steaming pan of cooked apples and cinnamon. 

“Mmmm. Smells good Gabriel. Thanks.” Sam moved Cas over to his chair. Sam scooped a small spoonful of oatmeal and put in in Cas’ bowl. “What do you want on it?” 

Cas decided on apples and cinnamon. Gabriel had put the syrup and brown sugar on his. Sam put peanut butter and raisins. 

They were almost done when a tentative knock came from the door leading to the outside. 

Sam froze. He shared a look with Gabriel. 

“Stay with the kids,” Gabriel ordered. His blade slipped into his hand. He moved quietly to the bunker door. 

Sam grabbed the nearest gun and clicked the safety off. “Cas no!” Sam yelled. 

Cas had climbed down from his chair and run after Gabriel. Sam picked up Dean and hurried down the hall after the toddler. 

Gabriel was standing at the door. 

“I’m looking for Sam Winchester.” A young boy’s voice spoke strongly. 

Sam came into view. A boy no older than five was holding a smaller African American baby on his hip and was holding the hand of a blonde two-year-old. 

Sam studied the three of them. The oldest, Michael, was dark-haired and had blue eyes. He was tall for a five-year-old. Or maybe Gabriel was just short. 

The second oldest, Lucifer, had his thumb in his mouth. His blue eyes were lighter than Michael’s. His blonde hair was light and was spiked in the front. He was slightly chubby with baby fat. Sam knew he would have trouble with that one. Already he could see the spark of mischievousness in him. 

The youngest, Raphael, was clutching to Michael’s sleeve. His dark eyes were a deep brown and his hair was in a buzz cut on his head. He was just calmly looking around. 

Sam stepped forward. “Michael. I am Sam. Let’s get you guys in here.” Sam made to take Raphael from Michael but the five-year-old dodged him. 

“No. I’m supposed to look after them.” Michael tugged on Lucifer’s hand. “Come on Hayel.” The smaller one trudged along behind Michael. 

“Hayel?” Sam frowned. He looked over at Gabriel. “Gabriel? What’s going on?” 

Gabriel had tears in his eyes. “Hayel was his name before he fell.” Gabriel’s voice was rough. 

Michael had frozen in shock. “You are Gabriel?” He demanded. 

“Yeah. Hi Michael.” Gabriel wiped his eyes. 

“You lie.” Michael grew angry. “Gabriel is my baby brother. You are big.” 

Gabriel spoke some words in Enochian and held out his hand to Michael. 

Michael looked torn. “Stay here Hayel.” He dropped Hayel’s hand and grabbed Gabriel’s palm. He gasped. “How?” He looked lost. 

Sam stood back and watched as Gabriel hugged his brothers. “Father did something. It’s okay. I’m gonna look after you.” Gabriel murmured. “This is Sam.” Gabriel pulled back. “We both are gonna take care of all three of you.” 

“Are you guys hungry? I made some breakfast.” Gabriel stood up. He picked up Hayel. “Come on. The kitchen is this way.” 

Raphael must have been heavier than Michael could handle. Sam watched as his arm shook and then dropped. 

Sam leaped forward and caught the baby before he could hit the ground. Dean made a short growl. “I gotcha.” 

“Thanks,” Michael muttered. He shook out his arm. 

Sam followed the group to the kitchen. Dean was in one arm and Raphael was in the other. The two infants studied each other. Raphael babbled at Dean. Dean turned his head away with his nose turned up. 

“Dean,” Sam warned. “Be nice.” 

Gabriel snapped up a bigger table and another highchair when Sam made it to the kitchen. Sam put Dean in the tan and green high chair and Raphael in the blue and black one. 

Gabriel made a bottle for the new baby. Dean watched with jealousy as Raphael eagerly drank the bottle. 

The two other kids were staring at Cas. 

“Hi!” Cas chirped. He grabbed Hayel’s hand and pulled his to the table. “Gabriel food good.” Cas tried to help Hayel up to the table. “Sam? Help?” 

Sam chuckled and picked up the two kids. He set Cas in his chair and Hayel in the seat next to him. “Would you like some oatmeal, Michael?” 

“What’s oatmeal?” Michael wrinkled his nose at the food on the table. “No thanks.” He spoke after he saw the pot of cooked oats. 

Sam internally groaned. Michael was turning out to be a picky eater. “Come on, just a little bit.” Sam coaxed. 

“No.” Michael turned away. He stood by the sink and watched his brothers carefully. Every once in awhile he would glance at Gabriel and frown. 

Sam finished his still warm food. He stood up and stretched. He was still in his pj’s. “We need to go shopping later today,” Sam announced. “How do you want to do this?” Sam turned to Gabriel. 

“I think I’m gonna stay here with these two.” Gabriel nodded to Hayel and Michael. “You can take Cas, Dean, and Raphael-” 

“No! Raphael stays with me!” Michael yelled. 

Sam and Gabriel shared a look. 

“Okay. I’ll take Dean and Cas out to get supplies. Can you text me if you find anything we need?” Sam headed for the bedrooms with Dean in his arm.

“Sam! Wait!” Cas was running after him. “Me go too?”

“Yeah Cas. You can come too.” Sam got dressed and gathered everything he would need. He headed for the garage. Michael stood in the hallway watching him leave. Sam sighed. He would need every ounce of patience and goodness in him to deal with the three archangels. Four if you counted Gabriel. 


	7. Chapter 7

While Sam was out he decided to pick up things to make for meals for the next two days. Gabriel had been cooking for the past week and Sam felt awful that he was doing all the household work while Sam read. 

He now knew that this was permanent and there was nothing he could do to change them back. As long as Dean wasn’t dead, Sam could live with almost anything. 

“Sam?” Cas called from the back seat of the impala. 

“Yeah Cas?” Sam glanced in the rearview mirror before looking back at the road. 

“Sleepy.” Cas’ voice was slurred a bit. “When home?” 

“A few minutes Cas. Why don’t you take a nap?” Sam turned up the soft music playing. 

Dean made a face. 

“I saw that. What were your rules again? Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole? Wait, does this make the impala mine? I get to look after her?” Sam shot a grin at Dean. “I guess she is mine now.” 

Dean screwed his face up and yelled at Sam. Sam laughed as he pulled into the garage. Sam felt bad that Dean’s screams caused Cas to jerk his head up and bang it on the window. Sam got out of the impala with Cas crying and Dean still screaming. 

“Wow. Eventful trip?” Gabriel stood in the doorway with Hayel on his hip. 

“Sort of.” Sam winced. “I might have teased Dean that the impala was now mine. Cas was sleeping when he started yelling.” 

Gabriel shook his head. “Sam, Sam, Sam. Even I wasn’t dumb enough to tell Deano that.” 

“Yet I recall someone taking the air out of the impala tires when we first met.” Sam shot Gabriel a mock angry look. “Do you know the crap I had to listen to and the fight we got in? That right there was the whole reason Dean hated you. You messed with his Baby.” 

“So it wasn’t because I killed him over and over, no he was pissed because I took off the air caps on the impala?” Gabriel’s jaw dropped. 

Dean’s face was red as he glared between the two adults. Sam had stopped trying to get Dean out of the car. The door was open and Cas was sniffling on the other side of the impala. 

Dean let out a high pitched scream. All eyes turned to face him. Dean glared at Sam and then Gabriel. Dean stretched his arm out and laid a hand on the impala. He babbled and patted the car. 

His meaning was clear. The impala was Dean’s. Sam and Gabriel were just borrowing it until he could drive again. 

“Okay Grumpy.” Gabriel picked up Dean. He went around to get Cas out of the car.

Sam gave a wistful smile at the name. Pamela used to call them that. 

“I got the kiddos. You can get the stuff you bought?” Gabriel made it a question. 

“Yeah.” Sam opened the trunk. “Oh, Gabriel?” 

Gabriel turned halfway around. His arms were full of Dean and Hayel. Cas was standing at his side. 

“Thanks.” Sam poured every ounce of his gratitude and feelings into that one word. 

Gabriel must have felt something because he looked shocked. “Don’t mention it.” Gabriel turned around and hurried into the bunker. 

Sam frowned. What did he do?

Gabriel avoided Sam for the rest of the afternoon. He claimed he was getting his brothers settled. 

At about five, Sam headed for the kitchen. He pulled out the chicken nuggets from the freezer and a baking sheet. He set the temperature on the oven. Sam was reading the back of the box of macaroni when he heard someone enter the kitchen. 

The footsteps froze when they saw him. 

Sam tipped his head up to see Gabriel standing there. “What are you doing?” Gabriel’s golden eyes were narrowed in confusion. 

“Cooking dinner.” Sam set the box down. 

“That’s my job.” Gabriel sounded upset. 

“I wanted to help out too. You have cooked every meal since you got here. Let me help, please?” Sam gave Gabriel a soft look. 

Gabriel’s eyes hardened. He turned and left the kitchen without a word. 

Sam sighed. What was he doing wrong? 

Sam made the food without burning it. Gabriel didn’t show up for dinner. All five kids were seated at the table or in their high chairs. Sam managed to get everyone fed and put to bed. Michael even ate. 

Once all the kiddos were in bed and he had the baby monitor that Gabriel had modified clipped to his belt, Sam set off in search of Gabriel. 

^*^*^*^*^

He found him on the roof. 

Gabriel sat on the edge with his feet dangling over the side. He was staring out at the night. His shoulders were hunched when he heard Sam. “What do you want?” 

His voice might have been flat but Sam heard the strong meaning behind it. Sam knew his answer could make or break them. 

“Right now, to make sure you are okay. You have been avoiding me.” Sam sat down next to the angel. 

Gabriel tensed up when Sam’s arm brushed his side. “No, I haven’t.” 

“Gabriel?” Sam took a deep breath. “I like you. And I feel like I’m in middle school but I really want to spend more time with you and get to know you.” 

“Sam, don’t.” Gabriel flinched as Sam continued. 

“I might even come to love you.” Sam breathed out into the silence. 

Gabriel jumped to his feet. He began angrily pacing on the roof. Sam got to his feet and watched him. 

“No. This is a trick. It has to be.” Gabriel raked his hands through his hair and glared at Sam. “What do you want? Do you really think this little game you are playing will make me stay? I already agreed to be here for a while. I can’t leave because of Loki.” 

Sam stared as Gabriel paced and came to the wrong conclusions. “What? No!” Sam stepped in front of the archangel. “Gabriel?” 

“Forget it Sam. Forget whatever little game you are playing. It won’t work.” Gabriel snapped and disappeared, leaving Sam on the roof by himself. 

^*^*^*^*^

Michael was cautious. Ever since their second day here something had happened. He didn’t know what, but Gabriel was upset. Sam Winchester was frustrated. 

Michael stared at the human his father had told him to listen to. His soul was bright but stained with something dark on it. Michael remembered when his father first made the souls. They all were bright and innocent. What made this one go dark? 

That wasn’t the only thing that put him on alert. Gabriel was the other. 

Somehow his baby brother had grown up before him. His grace, what little he had left, looked old and tired. Michael could see the scars left on his very being. It was Michael’s job to look out for his siblings and Gabriel had gotten hurt. 

“Michael.” Hayel toddled into the room.  _ “Gabriel says eat.”  _

Hayel spoke in their language. Sam spoke in a different one that Michael had never heard before. His brain translated it easily though. 

_ “I’m not hungry,”  _ Michael told his little brother. 

Hayel’s lower lip immediately jutted out.  _ “Please? For me?”  _

Michael sighed. All food looked weird. Those little pieces of meat and the golden covered noodles were good though.  _ “Let’s go.”  _

Hayel’s eyes lit up. His smaller sticky hand grabbed Michael’s and dragged him to the table. 

Hayel loved trying the different foods that Sam and Gabriel made. Raphael ate from a cup. Michael thought he heard Sam call it a bottle? 

That night Michael was trying to sleep in his bed. He had never been alone to sleep in his life. He always had Hayel or Raphael or Gabriel or sometimes all three tucked in his sides. 

Michael obeyed Sam and didn’t dare voice this. He was already being so kind as to take them in. He didn’t need more trouble. A soft knock came at his door. 

“Michael?” A voice called. 

That brought him around to the other angel in the home. Cas was an odd name for an angel. Last Michael knew Gabriel was the baby. The new angel seemed less powerful. His vessel had black hair and blue eyes. His grace was just as scared as Gabriel’s. 

“Psst. Michael.” Hayel knocked on his door again. 

Michael opened the door to see his little brother wavering on his feet. “Hayel?” 

_ “Can’t sleep. Too quiet.”  _ Hayel’s blue eyes filled with tears.  _ “Stay with you?”  _

_ “Sure.”  _ Michael held the door wider. He was relieved. He would finally be able to get some sleep. Michael and Hayel tucked themselves under the blankets. 

_ “I miss the stars,”  _ Hayel whispered. 

_ “Me too, _ ” Michael spoke softly back. Why did humans sleep in these buildings when they could sleep under the creation that their father made?

_ “Do you think Gabriel and Sam would let us sleep outside?”  _ Hayel played with the covers. 

_ “I don’t know. I wouldn’t ask.”  _ Michael cautioned. 

_ “Why not?”  _ Hayel peered at him through the dark.  _ “Gabriel is our brother and Sam is nice. I like him. He feels familiar. _ ” 

Michael gave a small smile. Hayel was smarter than people gave him credit for. His smile fell as he remembered his father’s last words. 

_ “Just don’t.”  _ To stop his little brother’s questions, Michael brought his wings out and draped them over Hayel.  _ “Go to sleep little brother. I’ll watch over you. _ ” 

Hayel’s eyes slipped closed and his own smaller wings quieted. 

Michael lay awake that night, wondering what he was supposed to do. How was he going to take care of his brothers when three of them were kids and Gabriel was a full-grown angel? Not to mention Cas, the new angel he has never seen before. 

Michael’s eyes slipped closed against his will three hours later. 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam woke in the morning to Gabriel frantic calls. He blinked as his door slammed open and Gabriel nearly fell in his room. 

“Have you seen Hayel?” His golden eyes were panicked and he scoured every inch of his room looking for the younger angel. 

“What’s going on?” Sam yawned. 

“I was checking on the kids before I was going to make breakfast and I found Hayel gone. He wasn’t in his room and I have looked everywhere.” Gabriel was now checking Sam’s closet. “I can’t find him, Sam!”

Sam flung his legs off the side of his bed. “Take a deep breath, Gabriel. We’ll find him.” Sam stood up and stretched. “Did you check the other bedrooms?” 

“No.” Gabriel set off down the hall. Checking the unoccupied bedrooms. Not what he meant but whatever. Sam could check where he really meant. 

Sam was not stupid. He could see that Michael and Hayel were not sleeping well. Maybe…? 

Sam carefully opened the door to Michael’s room and found both angels curled around each other. Sam looked up and saw little lights on the ceiling. Were those…. Stars. They were stars. Okay. 

Sam quietly closed the door and headed for Gabriel. Sam found him in Dean’s old room. 

“I found him.” Sam leaned against the door frame. 

“Where is he?” Gabriel demanded. 

“In Michael’s room.” Sam bit his lip. “Look, maybe you are right. They might need to share a room.” 

Gabriel’s expression said ‘you think’. “We used to sleep together.” His face turned wistful. “I was always the smallest so I was tucked in the center of the group. Michael and Luc- Hayel was on the ends. Their wings would cover us and we would sleep under the creation.” 

Sam nodded. He now got the stars. “Are…” Sam hesitated. He hated that Gabriel did most of the work around the bunker. “Are you going to make breakfast?” Sam didn’t look at Gabriel. 

Gabriel was quiet. Sam tipped his head up just in time to see the emotional mask fall into place. 

“Sure. Breakfast burritos sound good to you?” Gabriel headed for the door. 

The baby monitor crackled to life as first Dean, then Cas let it be known that they were awake. 

“I’ll get the kids.” Sam followed Gabriel out the door. Gabriel went one way, Sam went the other. 

Sam missed the tensing of Gabriel’s shoulders and the way he stared after Sam with sadness all over his face. 

^*^*^*^*^*^

The weeks passed and things in the bunker grew more strained. Gabriel was on edge because Loki had not made his move. Sam was frustrated because every time he tried to get close to Gabriel, the archangel would always disappear. 

The kids tried to ease the tension by being funny and ‘helping’ with things. One memorable time was when Sam was on the phone helping out a fellow hunter and Gabriel was who knows where. The point was that both adults were away from the kitchen. 

Hayel and Cas decided to help by ‘making lunch’. The troublemakers got into the pantry and made a mess of dough from flour and water. 

Gabriel had entered the kitchen to make the actual lunch and found flour over every surface and water splashed across the floor. The duo sat in the middle with huge smiles on their faces and covered head to toe in the white powder. 

They were so happy that Gabriel and Sam couldn’t really be mad. Bathtime was interesting after that. 

It all came to a head in October. Loki made his move. Sam and Gabriel were furious. 


	8. Chapter 8

October. Halloween. That meant shopping for costumes and candy and a whole trunkload of things for the angels and Dean. 

Michael had warmed up to them after Sam let Hayel share a room with him. He still did everything Sam told him to without complaint. They were working on that. 

Hayel and Cas were best friends. They got into everything together. From climbing the bookshelf like adventurers to taking baths, eating, watching TV, they were hardly apart. 

Raphael and Dean had come to an agreement. Mostly, Dean got Sam and Raphael had Gabriel. The infants would scream at each other for hours if Gabriel took care of Dean or vice versa. Sam swore that Dean and Raphael shared a conspiring look at one point. 

Gabriel and Sam were on slightly better terms. There was an unspoken agreement that Sam stayed out of Gabriel’s business and Gabriel stayed to help. That didn’t stop the longing looks and sad eyes though. 

They were out when it happened. Sam, Gabriel, and the boys were shopping at the nearby mall. It was a few towns over from the bunker. The kids wanted to celebrate the holiday. Sam blamed Gabriel for taking them to that kid’s playground. 

They had gotten separated. Sam had the kids. Gabriel had wandered off. Sam was searching for the adult archangel desperately. 

He spotted him over by the candy store. “Michael. Take Hayel over to Gabriel. He’s right there.” Sam pointed at Gabriel. 

“Yes, Sam.” Michael took hold of his little brother’s hand and started towards the archangel. Michael froze halfway. He didn’t feel completely like Gabriel. There was something off. But there couldn’t have been someone else who looks like his brother. The crowds of humans were throwing his senses off. He continued on his path. 

“Gabriel. Sam sent us...” Michael touched the being’s hip and froze. This wasn’t Gabriel! Whoever it was, stole his grace. Michael backed up slightly. 

“What have we here?” The Gabriel look-alike grinned a shark-like grin. 

“S-stay away.” Michael tucked Hayel behind his back. 

The copy crept closer. 

“Hayel! Run!” Michael shoved his little brother as hard as he could away. 

“Don’t matter. One of you should work.” Hands snatched him and fingers snapped. Michael blacked out. 

^*^*^*^*^*^

Sam sighed, frustrated. Some kid was crying in the corner and he couldn’t concentrate. 

“Sam!” Cas screamed. “Hayel!” 

Sam whipped his head around and spotted the small toddler surrounded by people. He was crying and had something white stained with red on his forehead. 

Sam headed in that direction. “Hayel.” Sam knelt down by the chubby-cheeked baby. “What happened?” 

“Not Gabriel.” Hayel sobbed. 

Sam froze. “Where is Michael?” Sam demanded. 

“Gone.” Hayel hiccuped. 

Sam stood up. He picked up the baby and plopped him in the cart. If that man was who he thought it was, then they were in danger. 

Sam pushed the cart towards the entrance. “Gabriel, please be okay.” Sam prayed. 

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” A voice piped up next to him. 

Sam swore and jumped. 

“What happened to Hayel?” Gabriel’s golden eyes narrowed at the toddler who was still crying. “Where’s Michael?” 

Sam spoke one word that sent rage and fear into Gabriel’s very being. 

“Loki.” 

“What. Happened?” He demanded. 

Sam raked his hands through his hair. “I thought he was you. You wandered off and I had all the kids. I sent Michael and Hayel over to him. I didn’t see what happened next. All I saw was Hayel crying and then he said it wasn’t you and that Michael was gone.” Sam rambled. “I am so damn sorry.” Sam’s eyes stung. “It’s all my fault.” 

Gabriel was quiet. “Lucky for you I know how to track him. Take the kids home. I will find him and end this.” 

Sam started to protest. “No! I can help you!” 

Gabriel held up a hand. “Yeah? If we both die who is gonna watch the kiddos? They can’t just go to a normal home because they are anything but normal. I’m sorry Sam.” Gabriel snapped. 

Sam found himself standing in the bunker with a group of teary-eyed kids staring at him. Sam swore. Gabriel was not leaving him behind. 

Sam whipped out his cell phone. He knew someone who could watch them for a bit. She was only a six-hour drive away. Four if she floored it. 

“Jody. I need help.” 

^*^*^*^*^

Five hours later a car peeled into the driveway before the bunker. Sam flung open the door. He had wooden stakes packed and an archangel blade stashed by his side in case everything else failed. He knew where he was going. 

“What was this emergency?” Jody ran towards him. 

“Oh. Good. They are down for a nap. Hayel should be upset. Cas is sharing a bed with him right now. Dean and Raphael are sleeping. Dean still has nightmares so he should be up soon. They can have tacos for dinner and grapes for a snack. The bottles are in the fridge. Gabriel made a bunch the other day. The baby monitor is angelfied. It switches rooms every minute. You can flip rooms with this little button here.” Sam put the monitor in a shocked Jody’s hands. “If I am not back by morning, call this number. Tell him that Gabriel and I are dead and he needs to come and deal with his kids.” 

“Sam? What?” Jody called after the tall hunter. 

“Dean should recognize you and can help you out some.” Sam headed for the impala. “Thanks a ton, Jody! Have fun babysitting!” 

“Babysitting?” Jody entered the bunker and froze. “Oh boy.” 

^*^*^*^*^

Sam tore down the road towards Omaha. From what little information he could gather from Gabriel and from the general location of the tracking spell he did, Omaha was where Gabriel and Michael were. That was where Loki was. 

Sam pulled to a stop on the outskirts. He made sure the sigil was placed on his body so no supernatural creature could sense him. Sam snuck into the warehouse. 

Sam contained his surprise when he entered a five-star apartment instead of a rundown warehouse. 

Sam ducked behind a door as footsteps walked past. 

“This is going to be fun.” A voice laughed. 

“Yeah. Revenge is always the best.” Another cackled. 

Neither sounded like Gabriel. So three pagans at best. 

“Do you think he will let us have some of the boy? That power is… delicious.” 

Scratch that. Four. Sam was liking the odds of this less and less. 

Sam followed the group down the hall. He had to do this. 

Sam stumbled across Gabriel and Michael completely by accident. Voices were coming down the hall and Sam ducked in a side room. 

“Sam?” Michael croaked. 

“Stupid idiot!” Gabriel hissed. “What the hell are you thinking?” 

“I was thinking, I could save your ass,” Sam smirked. He studied the floor where both archangels were. Symbols etched on the ground glowed with a green light. A ring of holy fire was added for good measure. “You’re dad is a dick. It would have been almost better if witches have changed them instead of pagans. What the heck was he thinking?” 

“Who’s with the kids?” Gabriel demanded. His eyes were closed off and hard. 

“Jody,” Sam answered. “I wasn’t going to leave you here alone.” 

“Sam?” Michael coughed. 

Sam’s attention was caught by Michael. “Hold on Michael. I got you.” 

Sam carefully stepped around the glowing runes. He was forever grateful for his side job. It made him study sigils and symbols a lot. 

Sam laid his jacket over the edge of the holy fire circle for Michael. “Come on.” 

Michael edged closer to Sam. Sam picked up the five-year-old looking angel and placed him outside the fire. 

Sam moved over to Gabriel’s circle. He stripped off his plaid shirt and laid it across the fire. He held out his hand to Gabriel. 

Gabriel took it and stepped over the smoldering shirt. “Well, at least we got rid of one. Only fifty more to go.” 

“What?” Sam cocked his head at Gabriel. 

“Your flannel.” Gabriel made a face. “It’s toast.” 

Sam rolled his eyes. “Just because I wear it doesn’t mean I like it.” 

“Then why do you wear it?” Michael asked. 

“Have you seen me? There are no other cheap shirts that I can wear that will fit me. My shoulders are too big and my chest is too wide. Now hush. We need to take out these pagans.” Sam listened at the door. 

“Well, that would be good if I had my…” 

Sam dug in his bag and tossed the archangel blade he swiped from Gabriel’s room at its owner. 

“Thanks?” Gabriel frowned. 

“Sam?” Michael concentrated and held his hands together. A blade the size of Michael’s arm appeared. Michael gripped it with two hands and offered it to Sam. “Stakes won’t help.” 

Sam took the blade. “Thanks, Michael.” He missed the look of jealousy and anger on Gabriel’s face. Sam took a normal angel blade out of his bag. It was smaller than an archangel blade and slimmer. “I know it’s not what you are used to but can you fight with this?” Sam handed it to Michael. “Use it only in defense. I don’t want you taking on any pagans. When we leave this room, I want you to head straight for the impala and stay there. Try and hide if you can’t make it okay?” 

“Yes, Sam.” Michael clutched the blade closer. 

“On three.” Sam mouthed the words and flung open the doors. 

The attacks happened. Pagans fell left and right as Sam used Michael’s blade and Gabriel fought by his side. 

It was all going well. Almost all of the pagans were dead. Then Loki stepped out into the fray. With a mere flick of his wrist, Sam and Gabriel were flung against the wall. 

“The little pet is gone from his cage.” The pagan crooned. “And he has a master. Sam Winchester. I have heard a lot about you. Taking in five little boys.” The god tisked. “That was too much.” 

“Sam.” Gabriel croaked. “Run.” 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Loki dug his hand into Sam’s stomach. Somehow the god had enough strength to do it. “One more word from you and he dies.” 

Sam groaned as the pagan dug a little deeper. Sam was losing blood quickly. It gushed out from around Loki’s arm in his body. 

“Gabriel.” Sam tossed his head to the side to stare at the one being who gave him strength. “Sorry.” 

“Sam! Sam, no!” Gabriel struggled against the force holding them up. “Let him go!” 

Loki gave a smirk. “Okay.” He pulled his hand out and Sam dropped to the floor. 

Sam let out a scream! That hurt. Sam’s eyes drooped. He caught flashes of what happened. Gabriel fighting Loki. The apartment becoming a warehouse. The rumble of the impala. A warmth seeping in his chest. Sam’s eyes slipped closed. It was too much. At least Gabriel was saved. 

Sam blinked awake. “Gabriel!” He tried to sit up but wheezed at the pain in his middle. 

“Lay down asshat.” A voice snapped. 

Sam jerked his head to the side and saw an angry Gabriel. “You’re okay.” Sam relaxed a little. “Wait! Michael!” Sam tried to sit up again. 

A hand shoved him back down. “He’s fine.” Gabriel’s voice was cold and clipped. “I healed what I could. You are probably gonna be sore in a few places for a bit. When he died, I got some of my grace back. The rest is going to have to charge back up.” Gabriel wouldn’t meet his eyes as he spoke. 

“Gabriel.” Sam reached a hand out. He placed it on the archangel’s arm. “I’m okay.” 

That seemed to piss him off more. 

“Yeah? You almost died because you are a stupid human who has a huge self-sacrificing complex! You could have died! We all could have!” Gabriel yelled. “Stupid idiotic human! What would have happened if you died? I would be stuck with Dean! He would have found some way to kill himself. Probably by eating something and choking to death.” 

Sam hid a laugh. “Gabriel, I’m okay.” 

“You damn well better stay that way.” Gabriel hissed. 

“You do care.” Sam flashed his smile at Gabriel. 

Gabriel’s face closed down. “Get some rest. Cas has been asking about you.” Gabriel left Sam’s room. 

Sam closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. His eyes felt itchy. Was it his imagination or did Gabriel touch his arm before he left? 

Sam woke with a start. Something was wrong. The sense of happiness in the bunker was gone. 

“Hey, easy.” Jody was by his side. 

“Where… Gabriel?” Sam tried to sit up. His stomach felt like it was on fire. 

Jody was quiet. “He’s gone, Sam.” 

Sam felt dread welling up. “What?” 

Jody closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. He took Michael, Hayel, and Raphael and left about three hours ago. I’ve been trying to calm down Cas and Dean but nothing is working.” 

“Did they take a car or did he fly?” Sam struggled to get out of bed. 

“He just snapped and was gone,” Jody told him. 

Sam closed his eyes. He swore. “I have to get him back.” Sam stood up. 

“Sam? Be honest. Why do you want him back? Is it because you need help with the kids or for…” Jody began hesitantly. 

“What? No!” Sam protested. “I mean yeah, it started that way. But Jody, he’s family. He gave everything for us once. I’m not letting him get away this easily. I-I love him.” 

Jody gave him a warm smile. “Go after him then. Make sure he knows why you want him to stick around. I can watch Dean and Cas for a little longer.” 

“No. I am taking them with me. Thanks for all the help, Jody.” Sam hugged her. “I got it from here.” 

Sam headed for the door. His family needed him. 

^*^*^*^*^*^

FIVE WEEKS LATER…

Sam drove through the night. Cas was sleeping in his seat in the back of the impala. His head was against the window and he was snoring slightly. 

Dean was wide awake. His green eyes were observing Sam carefully. 

“Dean, I.” Sam paused. “I love him. He’s family. Please don’t be upset.” 

Dean rolled his eyes. His gaze fell on Cas. Dean gave a smile. His eyes went back to Sam. Sam got the message. 

Everyone and their dog knew of Dean’s love for Cas and vice versa. Dean knew that it would be a while until he grew up again. His love had tempered into a brother's love. 

Dean was saying it was okay. Sam knew he didn’t really need Dean’s permission but his approval felt good. 

Sam pulled to a stop next to a small house. “We’re here. I hope we’re not too late again.” 

Gabriel had led him on a merry chase around the country. Somehow he would get wind of them and be gone by the time they showed up. 

Not this time. This time Sam put the sigil for keeping their presence known from supernatural creatures on all of them. He even etched it into the impala. Dean’s disapproving glare lasted for a week and a half. 

Sam knocked on the door of Gabriel’s supposed home for now. The door opened. 

Sam didn’t wait for Gabriel’s words. He kissed him. 

“Sam?” Gabriel’s voice cracked. “How?” 

“Cool thing my side project.” Sam gave a smile. He remembered when he thanked Gabriel all those weeks ago and decided to do the same thing. “I love you. Come home.” Sam poured every feeling he had into those words. Love, worry, pain, he gave everything. 

Gabriel stumbled back. “You really do?” 

“Yes. Please don’t leave me alone with the brats.” Sam pleaded. “I might kill them in a fit of aggravation. Please don’t leave me.” 

Dean gave an indignant squawk. 

“Gabriel?” Michael came down the stairs. “Is it safe to- Sam? Sam!” 

Sam soon had an armful of crying five years old boy. “Thanks for saving me. I don’t know what turned your soul dark but they are wrong. You are a good person.” 

Another squeal happened and Hayel ran right for him. He hit Sam’s knees with the full force of his run. “Sam! Cas!” 

“Are you really going to make them unhappy for the rest of their lives?” Sam turned to face Gabriel. 

“Fine. I’ll come with you. Boys, get your things. We’re going… home.” Gabriel stared at Sam. 

Michael and Hayel yelled and ran up the stairs. 

Gabriel grabbed the back of Sam’s neck and dragged him down. “I love you too. You ever do something stupid again I will kill you. And Dean. Can’t kill one Winchester and leave the other alive. That’s just asking for trouble.” 

Sam’s grin nearly split his lips. Sam kissed him. “Let’s go home.” 

“Home.” Gabriel marveled. “We have a home.”


	9. Epilogue

FIVE YEARS LATER…

“Sam!” A ten-year-old Michael jogged across the backyard. He was carrying a tray of hotdogs. 

“Wait up Michael!” A seven-year-old Hayel ran after him, lugging a basket of food behind him. 

Cas ran in front of everyone. “Sam!” He was eight years old and was a fast runner for a kid. 

“Where’s Dean?” Sam put a rock in the fire pit ring. 

A giggle happened and two five-year-old boys ran across the grass behind him. One was dark-skinned and the other was fair-haired. 

“Give it back Dean!” Raphael bellowed. 

Dean, the little shit, stuck his tongue out at Raphael and dashed around Sam. “Sammy! Save me!” 

“Dean,” Sam warned. He had perfected the Dad!tone over the years. Gabriel teased him endlessly over it. 

Dean pouted. “Fine.” Dean handed the book he had taken back to Raphael. “Food?” 

Michael handed Sam the tray. “Gabriel told me to give this to you.” 

Cas chased Dean around the fire pit. 

Sam sighed. He gave a teasing smile to Michael. “You don’t have to do everything we say, Michael.” 

“I know,” Michael said nothing more. 

Sam took the tray and set it on the table. He also took the basket from Hayel. He was bouncing on his feet and eyeing Dean and Cas. As soon as Sam had it, the blonde seven-year-old ran after Cas and Dean, yelling at the top of his lungs. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Michael asked. 

“Do you know how to build a fire the human way?” 

Michael shook his head. He eyed the wood. 

“Come here. I’ll show you.” Sam knelt down and began laying the wood and paper. “Where’s Gabriel?” Sam frowned. He looked around for the archangel. 

“He said he had to get something from the bunker,” Michael told him. 

Sam rolled his eyes. He knew Gabriel was going to bring something extravagant. Since he got his grace juiced back up he loved to snap things up and make the bunker more ‘home-like’. 

“Sam!” Gabriel came around the corner dragging a box behind him. “Ready for tonight? You finally get to sleep angel style.” 

Sam sighed. “I have slept ‘angel style’ for almost six years now.” 

“Psh. That’s nothing.” Gabriel scoffed. 

Sam grinned. “Then please, oh great archangel, show me how angels sleep?” 

Dean ran between the two of them shouting about no flirting in front of the kids. 

That night the Winchester family slept under the stars after having a dinner of hotdogs and smores. 

Sam lay on the blanket edge with Michael tucked into his side. Cas slept next to Gabriel. Dean was next to Cas. Hayel was curled up to Michael. Raphael, the youngest by one month slept in the middle. 

“What do you think of sleeping angel style?” Gabriel whispered. 

“I like it. Not something I’d do every night but I like it.” Sam murmured back. “Michael is drooling on my shoulder,” Sam explained further at Gabriel’s look. 

Gabriel snorted. 

“You did that on purpose.” Sam glared. “Dick with wings,” Sam muttered fondly. 

“Asshat.” Gabriel snarked back. 

“I love you,” Sam spoke after a moment. 

“Love you too Moose.” Gabriel grinned cheekily. 

Sam groaned. “Damn it, Crowley.” 

“Hush. Sleeping.” Dean snapped. 

Sam and Gabriel went quiet. 

“Thank you for taking us in.” Gabriel’s eyes were serious. 

“You’re family. Winchesters take care of their own.” Sam promised. 

“You know something, Sam? Five years and you have yet to ask me to marry you. We are living in sin. Think of the kids.” Gabriel grinned. 

“Loveable dick.” Sam smiled. He had gotten used to Gabriel’s snark and sass. 

“All jokes aside. What made you take them in? You already had your hands full with Dean and Cas. You had a bad experience with them in the past. Why would you do it?” Gabriel studied Sam. 

“I did it for you. When your dad asked all I could think of was you and how it would hurt you if I declined. I actually expected a lot worse from them, especially Hayel.” Sam admitted. 

Gabriel scoffed. “He’s always been a little shit. What are you talking about?” 

“I love our family.” Sam looked up at the stars. “Have they always been this bright?” 

Gabriel stared up at the sky. “They used to be bright and you could see a whole lot more. Humans have really thrown this little planet down the toilet. I remember when you could see clear out to the edge of the galaxy. There was this one star that could be visible-” 

Sam fell asleep with a smile on his face as Gabriel spun stories of stars and other worlds. 

“Goodnight Sam,” Gabriel whispered. He loved the stupid human.


End file.
